Rock With Me, Roll With Me
by CorruptedInk
Summary: Summer has to find a new lead singer before the biggest gig the School of Rock has ever played. Can she agree to disagree with Freddy, or will everything from the road trip to the cruise ship to London be a complete bust?
1. Prologue

**_A/N: Hey! This is my first fanfic attempt, and considering how addicted to the movie School of Rock, (or rather, Kevin Clark lol), I've decided to give it a go. Hope you guys like it as much as I intend to have fun writing! _**

**_Disclaimer: Snorts. Right. Like I'd be squandering time that could be spent with Freddy McGee were he actually in my possession. Ha! I own nothing! _**

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Rock with me, Roll with me

**Prologue**

_It was already striking one in the morning as the band continued to take song after song at request. The multi-pieced band didn't seem to notice or care at how long this particular gig was going, and the rest of the group who were supposed to be on duty backstage were, in fact, in **front** of said stage and enjoying themselves every bit as much as the scores of guests among them.Fronting the band on the raised daiswas the long-time lead singer, Dewey Finn, who seemed to be having the time of his life. _

"_You know," shouted Michelle so she could be heard as the crowd sang the chorus around them. Her bright blue eyes glistened with the strobe lights above. "You'd think that Dewey would at least give himself a break, tonight of all nights."_

_Billy-the band's wardrobe stylist-tore his eyes away from the band long enough to smile wryly at the blonde groupie. "Are you kidding? What better platform to completely go all out for Dewey than his own wedding reception?" _

"_That's true," a redheaded boy came behind them and said loudly._

"_Marco!" the previous two shouted with some alarm. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be backstage!"_

"_So are you guys!" he shouted back, then raised a fist at the drummer onstage, who'd just spotted them and grinned. "Ha, look, Freddy's seen us." He turned back to them and their protests. "Besides, Frankie's got hold of it." _

"_Remember what happened last time," Michelle said warningly, although her tone was more amused now. "The guys'll kill you if some of those chicks get backstage and **borrow** Zack or Freddy's clothing again…"_

_The three of them laughed, until Billy made a hissing noise and nudged them both in the ribs. "Uh oh. Forget the guys. Miss Clipboard's heading this way…"_

_They only had time to groan for a second before a girl with long black hair tied up in a ponytail and a large clipboard hand stormed right up to them, her face taught tightly. "What are you guys doing here, **again**? Marco, get back there right now. Michelle, Billy, this is the third time tonight! C'mon you guys, you know how Dewey gets…"_

"_I don't think he'll mind tonight, Summer," Michelle said, a touch of frost in her tone. "I mean, c'mon, he just got married, for heaven's sake."_

_Summer made a sniffing noise, as if what her blonde bandmate had just said was not worth the trouble of being heard. "Still. I want you guys back there. Now. And where's Eleni? She better not have wandered off again..."_

_The previous trio rolled their eyes as soon as she'd backed away, but proceeded to go back as she'd wished, thrusting themselves somewhat regretfullythrough the horde of wedding guests, none of whom were under sixteen or over sixty. _

_A half hour later and the School of Rock called for a short break and let the standby band play. Dewey took his bride for a spin on the dance floor, while the rest of the band met up with the others at a large circular table at the other end of the reception hall. Initially, everyone had wanted the reception to be in the open area of the nearest beach, but the threat of prying reporters covering the event loomed too near for them to go that route. _

_Instead, Summer-who'd been pretty much given all the ropes to handle the function as yet another band event-had managed to convince (a.k.a. bully) the owner of the largest and hippest bar in town, Phoenicks, to let them have the place for the night. _

"_Man, I think my fingers are gonna be crooked permanently," said Zack Mooneyham, the lead guitarist, as he settled down on a seat next to Marco, who started ordering for more drinks from the nearby waiter. _

"_You think that's something," snorted Freddy as he fell onto the chair opposite him, followed immediately by his on again-off again girlfriend and band bassist, Katie, who nestled herself against himself on his lap. "Seriously, dude, I think I got drumming elbow, like tennis elbow or something man…"_

"_I'm completely bushed," interjected Marta as she and her fellow backup singers, Tomika and Alicia, arrived at the table, their made up faces glittering with Billy's work under the strobe lights. "Pass me that, would you, Summer?"_

_Summer gave the bottle of French red wine a disdainful look as she passed it on, "Wouldn't it be better to hydrate yourself with water after…"_

"_Oh, please," Freddy gave yet another gentlemanly snort. "Not more of your neurotic nutrition shit, again, Hathaway. Like you actually follow that stuff yourself…" _

"_As a matter of fact, Wilfred, I have every intention of…"_

"_Shut up, you two," Katie said in a low voice, but loud enough to be heard. She shared an exasperated look with the other girls, ruffling up Freddy's blonde hair. "Will you two cut it out for one night?"_

"_Will you not mess with the do?" Freddy muttered, but then added quickly at her look, "Please?" _

"_Don't they look cute together?" Marta said after a while, looking fondly at their ex-teacher and ex-principal of their Horace Green Prep days. "After all these years...They're finally married..."_

"_I know," Zack agreed, taking a slow swig off his glass as he turned around to look at the dance floor. "I don't think I've ever seen Dewey so hyped up."_

"_Or Rosalie either," Tomika pointed out, laughing as Dewey just dipped his wife, who was at least two inches taller than him. _

"_Yeah, they're cute." Alicia joined in the conversation from her own seat on her boyfriend's lap. Gordon, the band's technical maintenance guy, adjusted his glasses, as they'd come unbalanced while they'd been making out. _

"_Dude," Freddy said suddenly, laughing as he turned to pound the massive Frankie on the arm. "Can you imagine what they're kids are gonna be like? Talk about breeding a farm of freaks…"_

"_Freddy!" Summer said sharply, giving a reproachful look as she slammed her wineglass down on the table. "That's a horrible thing to say."_

"_So what else is new, huh, Tink?" Freddy countered hotly, his cheeks reddening either due to the aggravating girl across him or just because of the eighth or so drink of the night._

"_Here we go again…" Katie muttered, looking heavenward. The others laughed, and she hopped off Freddy's lap, announcing she was going to the bathroom. Marta, Alicia, and Eleni, Michelle's fellow groupie, got up to accompany her._

"…_I'm just sayin, Freddy," Summer was saying, "Couldn't you give the jerk routine a break for one night?"_

"_Comin' from the girl who does her accounting in her sleep." Freddy's face really was getting redder by the second, and his eyes were now narrowed at the equally infuriated eyes of the girl across him. "Seriously, Summer, it wouldn't kill you to give us a break, too. Get a life and…"_

"_Okay, that's enough," Tomika said, her usually serene face now darkening as she stared at the blonde young man, "I think you should take it easy on the drinks now, Freddy."_

"_Whatever, man." Freddy said, wiping his eyes with his knuckles before getting up, no trace of remembrance of the last few seconds on his handsome face. "Hey now," he said, his voice now completely changed as his eyes settled on a group of girls on the dance floor. "Wanna make some new friends, Zack?"_

"_I'll pass," Zack said, grinning at his friend, who was already on his way to the dance floor. The grin faded somewhat as his eyes settled on Summer, who looked rather flustered and, if he'd guessed right, didn't seem quite able to look at either him or Tomika in the eye. _

"_Sum," Tomika said, clearly in the same thought. "You know Freddy…he doesn't mean what he says. Especially when he's halfway hammered like…now…" she said as she looked back at their bandmate. _

"_Tomika's right," Zack added, shuffling over the two empty seats between them so he could pat her on the shoulder. "He just…"_

"_You don't have to explain anything, Zack," Summer said, turning to look at him, and he realized with a start that she hadn't been crying at all. The fight had completely gone from her face, just as it had done on Freddy's, except instead of being illuminated with the prospects of new 'conquests' of the opposite sex, her face seemed more weary, as if the businesslike persona fell away now as a mask. _

"_He'll get over it in the morning," Zack said, managing a weak smile. "You know how you guys always are…"_

"_Yeah," Summer replied, draining her glass, her clipboard forgotten momentarily on the tabletop. Her eyes flitted over the rest of the band: the guys discussing the success of Gordon's latest lighting technology; the girls, still not back but probably discussing topics which she, Summer, couldn't or wouldn't care much about in the tiled walls of the girls' powder room. Freddy, living out the term 'mingling' to a hilt ten feet away from them…_

_And here she was, Summer Hathaway; her only date a cardboard clipboard, her only conquests the procurement of dates and venues for the band's gigs. Tucking back a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Summer hiccupped once, all the while having an internal monologue going on…_

_I have a life…_

_**Sure you do, honey, keep that saying and maybe you'll fool yourself soon…**_

_I have a life…_

_**Right, that's why half the band shudders every time you enter a room…**_

_They do NOT shudder…_

_Riiight…_

_Summer grabbed the slender neck of the wine bottle, forcing a smile at thewide butusually friendly face of Frankie's, who'd looked at her in surprise. She tipped the contents into her glass, knowing she wasn't really going to drink herself into a stupor like the others sometimes did. _

_No, this was just to forget for a bit._

_Just to let herself forget the fact that she was a complete loser in every essence of the word. _

_Just to let herself forget._

'_Cuz no one else sure as hell wouldn't. _

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A/N: HA. Okay, I know, nothing so awe-inspiring at the moment, but remember this IS just the prologue. I'm just gonna do this 'cuz I feel like it for now and also 'cuz I feel these Frummer (Freddy+Summer) fics are way underappreciated and also lacking. I reccommend What You Least Expect by endymion015, hers is absolutely fab! Also, from the next chapter, things will be more detailed and longer, as I'm going to fast forward in time just a bit to the'present' day. This was, again, just a prologue, a kind of backup to what Summer's point of view will be later on in the story.**_

_Thanks! _


	2. The Great Gig In The Sky

**A/N: Hey all! So I'm getting the ball rolling from here on out in the present time, some years after the prologue. This may be a bit long, as I'll be reintroducing the characters and their current standpoints, as a well as a few new characters of mine. And thanks so much to for reviewing! Hope you guys like it!**

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Rock with me, Roll with me

**.:ONE:.**

The Great Gig In The Sky

**Summer's P.O.V. **

Have you ever had a feeling hit you when you're least expecting it? A feeling that makes you question all other trains of thought that may be channeling through your mind at that moment, forcing you to scream inward like never before?

I've had that feeling.

Unfortunately, being part of a band like ours offers exactly such feelings time and time again. I should know. I manage the band.

But let me start at the beginning, for my sake as much as anyone else's. You see, everything started out innocent enough when I walked into Ned Shneebly's apartment, official headquarters of the School of Rock. Even though we'd garnered an incredible amount of attention (and impressive funds from gigs to launch our own studio), we voted to keep going to the same place many of us believed was like a second home. Dewey had moved in with our old principal, Rosalie Mullins, years ago, but he agreed that this was the place where it was at.

I expected the usual ruckus to be going on as soon as I grabbed hold of the doorknob and twisted it open. I wasn't disappointed.

It was hard to pinpoint exactly who was making the most noise. I saw, or rather, _heard_, Alicia lead the other backup singers, Marta and Tomika, into the chorus of one of our newer songs.

They'd each grown musically, of course, but everyone in the band knew they worked well because they'd worked together for so long. However, they each had a separate style which differentiated them. Marta, for example, was still a pop enthusiast, (she still defended Christina Aguilera from time to time against the guys' harsh criticism), although a little more boy crazy than during our childhood. Her list of ex-boyfriends was both impressive and extensive, but she always said music was her true love.

Alicia and Tomika were both into jazzy sort of stuff, although Alicia was perhaps more experimental, in that she also seemed to really like hip-hop and rave music. Alicia's really cool in her fashion sense though, as it's entirely expressive and always interesting. For example, today she had a boho-chick look going on, with a cute off-the-shoulder blue thingy—forgive me, I never get fashion terminology straight – and a colorful bohemian skirt, the hem of which almost met the top of her knee-high boots.

"Hey Summer!" Alicia waved a hand, causing Marta and Tomika to turn around and smile at her. Tomika tugged at her ears for a second, then pointed at the pile of bags on the floor near me. I smiled, knowing she was returning a pair of pearl earrings she'd borrowed for a date last week.

"Thanks," I mouthed gratefully, bending down to her bag to get them. Tomika was still the shyest girl in the band, but to me she was a lot more than just the backup singer with the most powerful voice. She was the one of the closest friends I had managed to have from Horace Green Elementary.

"Hey, Sum," someone said as they walked by me. I looked up, and then smiled.

"Oh hey, Marco. Did you manage the last papers?"

Marco stopped in mid-stride, turning back to me with a thoughtful look on his face. "Actually, I brought them with me…" He shot me a hopeful look. "I was kinda hoping you could look them over again…"

I sighed, but nodded with a smile. "Sure. Just give them to me before we're done, and I'll go over them tonight."

He gave me a grateful smile, running a hand through his red hair. "Thanks, Sum. You know how much I suck at that sort of thing." I just waved his thanks away, smiling back. Marco was still in charge of the backstage crew with Frankie, but wasn't too confident when it came to going over the lists of equipment expenses or whatever. That's where I often step in.

Being manager is no joke, I tell you. Everyone's business becomes your business.

I watched Marco walk over to Frankie and Gordon, (our technical genius), who were playing a furious game of chess off to one side of the room. Usually those three didn't really need to come to band practices, but they did sometimes out of boredom, or to gear up before gigs, such as the one scheduled for tomorrow night.

Frankie was as big and fearsome as ever, although we all knew he had a soft spot for stray kittens and blonde girls. Being part of the band had helped his confidence too, and he's had more girlfriends than Marco and Gordon combined.

Well, actually, scratch that. It's not really fair to say that, considering Marco's never had a girlfriend, (too shy), and Gordon's only had one, (Alicia—and they're still going strong).

I turned away from them, then cringed inwardly as I heard an all-too familiar high-pitched giggle from the other side of the room.

Sure enough, there was Michelle, displaying her blondeness to the world as usual. Now she _really_ didn't have to come to these band practices, but for some reason, she never missed a meeting. She never missed having a victim to annoy either.

I grinned despite myself when I saw who it was this time.

"No, _honestly_," Michelle said, tossing her long blonde hair, "Katie, I'm not kidding! They'd actually _run out_ of No. 78 Razzle Dazzle nail polish." Michelle's blue eyes widened as she spoke, no doubt reliving the horror.

Katie looked like she wanted to be stabbed just about then. She saw me noticing, and then rolled her black-lined eyes heavenward to let me know how she felt. I grinned, shrugging helplessly, knowing that she could take care of it if she really wanted to.

Katie had probably transformed the most from our earlier years. Where she'd once been an innocent, pretty, 'Posh Spice' bassist, she now had a tougher, slightly cynical, goth-chick persona going on. She practically lived in her black clothes, no longer gave a crap what people thought, but pretty much was as quiet as ever.

I stepped back before Michelle would trap me too, but then saw Zack strumming away quietly on his guitar by the windowsill, oblivious to the rest of the world. I made my way toward him instead, setting my leather satchel down onto a coffee table as I went.

"New song?" I inquired, stopping in front of him. I eyed the few loose sheaves of paper sprawled on the windowsill.

"Hey, Summer," Zack replied, looking up and seeing me. He nodded, stopping his strumming to hand me the first sheet. I was the only who could decipher his handwriting, not to mention music scores. "I haven't set up the bass draft yet, but it's just a side thing, anyway," he finished demurely with a shrug. Zack still lacked confidence when it came to things like this.

"Remember what Dewey said, Zack," I murmured, my eyes scanning over his writing. I saw he hadn't titled it as yet. "No more secret songs."

"Who's keeping it secret?" Zack grinned, brushing off his black bangs away from his eyes. He was taller now, and lanky, but talented as ever. He'd written over half of the band's songs exclusively by himself, some other others being collaborations with other band members. That usually meant either Katie, me or Vee-Vee.

Oh yes, I forgot about Vee-Vee Qing-Khan, or 'King Kong' as Freddy likes to tease her.

You see, we've lost a few people during the last three years. For example, we lost Laurence, our amazing classical keyboardist, when he'd received an impressive scholarship to a topnotch science academy. It had been a complete shock when he'd announced it, and for a long time we were really bummed after he'd gone. However, we did get a great replacement for him.

Actually, _I'm_ the one responsible for Andrew Seymour's becoming part of the band. It was purely by accident, too. My little cousin Vanessa had a recital at her school, which happens to be _the_ rival school of ours. But I saw and heard Andy play the grand piano as backup for all the musical numbers that night, and I was completely floored by his skills.

Sure, he may not be as good as Laurence was, but Andy's brought a new flavor to the band: a blend of ska and reggae music which totally took me by surprise when I cornered him one day. Andy's the kind of guy you'd label a skaterboi, even though he doesn't skateboard, or skate, for that matter. He has a beanie permanently attached to his curly blonde hair, and a cute eyebrow ring on an even cuter face. But Andy's shy as hell, even more than Zack, if that's to be believed.

When I'd introduced him to the band, some people had been slightly skeptical.

Okay, no.

_Freddy Jones_ had been totally skeptical of my choice, but in the end Zack, Dewey and Katie had persuaded him I'd made a good choice. Particularly Katie. She'd been pretty enthusiastic, saying Andy was perfect for me. I completely vetoed that idea. Andy's just a really cool guy, and he has his own following, but I remain firm in what I told Katie, Marta, Alicia and Tomika over and over again.

I don't have time for boys.

Where was I? Oh yeah. Those we've lost.

Well, we also lost one of the groupies, Eleni. Well, frankly, I have to admit I thought it was more of a gain, than a loss. I'd sincerely hoped she could have dragged Michelle with her, since they'd been such good friends, but that was not to be.

I didn't exactly get a replacement for Eleni, whose family left the band and country a few months after Dewey and Ms. Mullins got married. I did, however, get someone far, far (in my opinion)…better.

I first met Vee-Vee, quite unceremoniously, one day when I'd been rushing to a band gig that was about to start without me. Freddy was yelling at me on the phone to get my ass over there, when I saw her. She was a short, thin girl with pink hair cropped short to her chin, and she was wielding an assortment of instruments and playing them on the street like a one-girl band. I'd hung up on Freddy still yapping away on the other end, (that always brightens things up), then marched right up to the girl. She had almond-shaped eyes which nevertheless widened at almost anything she found interesting, (which was usually everything). I remember I'd been slightly taken aback at how she'd quietly taken me in. It was if she'd been expecting me.

Anyway, the bottom line is that I gave her my number and told her to call me. I then went straight to the gig and announced to Dewey that I'd gotten an amazing girl with both Asian and African roots, (her mother is Chinese, her father, Lebanese), who could speak five languages and play an assortment of instruments.

The rest, as they say, is history. Vee-Vee's our official associate bandmate and assistant manager. I appointed her those. As for the rest of the band…

Interestingly enough, Freddy took an immediate liking to her, appreciating her talents (and eccentricity) quickly. She's been handy too, filling in for Freddy or Katie or Andy when any of them weren't able to do a gig, although such cases were rare. But mostly, she just helps me out and makes things fun.

I spotted both Vee-Vee and Andy now, coming into the room from the kitchen area. Andy was carrying a huge tray of drinks, laughing at something Vee-Vee had been saying. She came in behind him, attempting to balance a tray of snacks on her head as she spoke.

"Hey, Summer!" Vee-Vee said loudly as soon as she saw me. I waved a hand in response, about to reply, when I was completely interrupted.

"FREDDY JONES," cried an angry voice coming from somewhere in the hallway. "CAN'T YOU STAY STILL FOR ONE MINUTE?"

"Forget it, Billy boy," was the offbeat reply. Freddy hurried into the room, shaking his head furiously as he threw himself backwards onto the big and very old leather couch near the windows. He refused to look at Billy, who'd followed him. "I ain't wearing anything pink. I don't care what you say. And if you try ambushing me outside the bathroom like that again…"

"It's not pink, Freddy," Billy hissed through gritted teeth, eyes glaring straight at the blonde. "It's a soft hue of crimson…"

I grinned, shaking my head. It was always nice to see Freddy riled up. Sadly, it happened so rarely. Freddy Jones was still our drummer, still best friends with Zack Mooneyham, and still a jerk supreme. Unfortunately, he was also a chick-magnet, having amassed more girlfriends than all the other guys in the band combined.

True, he was still going out with Katie, although the last time I'd checked, they'd broken up for the fifteenth time. The record duration of their breakups had been last year during the summer. Two whole months.

However, those two seem to have some kind of unspoken agreement to date other people too. For example, Freddy's dated all the girls from the original School of Rock.

All, of course, except two: me, (who he terrorizes daily), and Tomika, (who terrorizes him).

"Well, hello, Tink," Freddy was saying to me now in a drawl. Billy had wisely given up trying to reason with the blonde, storming away in a huff.

I gave Freddy a wry look. "Having some issues with Billy, Freddy?"

"Don't start," Freddy warned as he sat up on the couch, before pulling Katie onto his lap. "Hey, babe," he murmured, leaning in for a kiss.

I turned away. I settled down near the coffee table with Vee-Vee and Andy, reaching for a tortilla chip.

"Hey, Andy," I said, smiling at the beanie-head. "Where's Dewey?"

"No clue," he replied, looking up. "He left as soon as we got here.

I was confused. "But what about—"

"Ned went with them," Vee-Vee replied, flipping through one my old copies of _Newsweek_. Suddenly she looked up, her eyes growing wide. "Wait a sec, did I hear something about pink?"

I blinked. I really like Vee-Vee, but sometimes her random comments really catch me off guard. But I caught sight of Freddy's infuriated look, then understood completely.

"Oh, that," I laughed. "Well. Billy's latest masterpiece was rejected…"

"_You_ tell me if you'd wear that…_thing_," Freddy scoffed. Then he started smirking at me. "But then again, looking at your choice of daily wear…"

"Yeah?" I challenged, sticking up my chin slightly. I was totally ready for whatever he had to say this time.

"What's wrong with pink?" Vee-Vee interrupted, looking back and forth from me to Freddy.

"Just not for me," Freddy said simply, but grinned at Vee-Vee cheekily. Needless to say, this totally annoys me.

Why does he always do that?

He starts up something with me, stupid and inappropriate and immature…then does a complete three-sixty when anyone else steps in!

I shook my head, muttering to myself as I tore a tortilla apart.

"Does anyone know where Dewey went?" I asked loudly, to anyone who'd listen.

But before anyone could answer, the front door swung open, and in walked Dewey himself. Or, rather…in trotted Dewey himself. The guy looked completely over the moon, with a massive Cheshire grin on his face, his woolen hat looking like he'd jammed it onto his head in a rush.

"Hey, Dewey," some of the others called out.

"Dudes," Dewey said in a would-be calm tone, his black eyes scanning over our faces. I gave him the look of death. "_And_ dudettes," he amended quickly, and I nodded with a smug smile. "I have got," he said, looking like he was about to burst, "some outrageous news, man."

The others crowded in around the coffee table. I made way so Zack and Tomika could settle on the floor beside me. "What's up?" Zack asked, reaching for a glass of Mountain Dew.

"Roz and I are expecting, man!" Dewey practically shouted, leaping onto the couch where Freddy and Katie hurriedly made space for him to land.

"What!" Alicia squealed.

"No way!" Freddy said loudly, looking incredulous.

"Cool," Zack said calmly, grinning.

"Cool?" Dewey repeated, "It's psychedelic cool, man! I'm gonna be a rock daddy!"

I exchanged an exasperated look with Katie, but smiled. Personally, I'm surprised he and Rosalie hadn't had any kids yet. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought so.

"About time," Gordon piped up, "You've been married for three years, Dewey."

"I know, I know," Dewey said, bouncing up and down on the couch. "But you know Roz…everything has to be in perfect harmony with…"

"Okay, then!" Freddy said loudly, moving off the leather couch and reaching toward the coffee table. "This calls for a celebration, man." Everyone got a glass off the trays and Freddy raised his high up to Dewey. I passed a glass along to Katie to pass to him, as he looked like he was about to tear up or something.

"To Dewey and Ms. Mullins," Freddy said solemnly, and I stifled a laugh. Respectable looked hilarious on Freddy. "And to the first of many mini-Deweys…"

"To many mini-Deweys," we chorused, and drank up.

Dewey looked like he was wiping away a tear. "Thanks, kids," he said appreciatively. "That means a lot to me, and to Roz too, I'm sure. Just know that even though I'm going to be having a clone around soon…"

"Oh, lord," Alicia pretended to groan, and we laughed.

"…It doesn't mean that I will take this band any less serious." Dewey continued with a smile. "We're a band, and bands support each other, even when—"

"Are we getting emotional again?" I teased, adjusting my position on the floor.

"Yeah, man," Zack agreed, grinning at Dewey, "We better start practicing if we're gonna represent tomorrow night…"

"Zack's right," Billy chimed in. I had no idea where he'd come from. Usually he's busy cutting material or something in one of the bedrooms. "You don't want your kids to think their dad's a sap do you?"

Dewey looked momentarily stunned, and then clapped his hands together loudly, rubbing them viciously. "You know what? You're completely right. Let's get started!"

Everyone cheered, and for a second, I remembered that time on the bus right before we had to go to the Battle of the Bands. This moment was so like that.

For a second, I was completely oblivious that everyone had gotten into their positions, and Marco and his troupe were siding off to the sides. But the next thing I knew, someone was tapping me on the shoulder, calling my name.

"Summer? Summer!"

I blinked rapidly, then looked up to see Dewey staring down at me. "Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Dewey asked, glancing quickly at the others. "Yeah, you guys, tune up and…stuff, I'll be there in two."

"Sure," I said, figuring he wanted to talk about tomorrow's gig. "Did you want something, Dewey?"

Dewey tugged at my sleeve, then motioned toward the kitchen area. We moved off to that area, and I distinctly heard the first bars of one of Zack's songs.

"What's up, Dewey?" I started, taking a seat. "By the way, congratulations again. Ms. Mullins must be ecstatic."

"Yeah, she's thrilled," Dewey said, looking distracted. I looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to start. And he did. "Hey, Summer, listen…"

"Listening," I said, straightening up in my seat. I debated running back to get a pad of paper and pen, in case I should take notes.

"Yeah," Dewey said, sitting down on one of the seats across me, "Do you remember the Blackaby New Years' Band-Bash show?"

I blinked in confusion. We never failed to watch show on New Year's eve, as it showcased awesome musical talents that hadn't sold out to the likes of MTV and whatnot. "What…do you mean the one in London? The live concert on TV?"

Dewey nodded. "I got the band a spot for this year's show."

I stared.

"No way," I said. "We haven't even applied…"

"It's by invitation only," Dewey said, starting to grin. "I told you, people love us! I got the invite a week ago, but then with Roz and all…I kinda forgot."

I didn't hear the rest of what Dewey said. There was no way this was happening. Sure, we've gotten quite a number of major gigs, not to mention the number of awards we'd acclaimed over the years.

But this was a _big_ deal.

"LONDON?" I practically yelled, and Dewey shushed me quickly.

"I'll give you guys details later," he said hurriedly, getting up. "After practice. There's something I have to tell you all later anyway…"

"What?" I squeaked, not sure I could handle any more. "There's something else?"

But Dewey didn't look at me or reassure me that everything was going to be great.

He squeezed my shoulder once, then went back to the others to start off the first song. Needless to say, I was nervous.

How secure were Dewey's plans anyway? Why hadn't I heard about this invitation before? Okay, yes, I got the Rosalie and baby part, but still. I'm Band Manager. I should be informed ahead of time about everything so that I'd have everything under control.

Although, considering what happened afterwards, I doubt I could have gotten everything under control anyhow.

That was because after an hour of non-stop practicing, Dewey asked everyone to settle down again around the coffee table, as he had 'important announcements' to make.

Note: _Announcements_, as in plural.

I didn't resume my seat on the floor. Instead I stood leaning against the wall facing everyone, their backs to me. Dewey gave me a nod to let me know he'd seen me, and started.

"I think you cool cats are gonna like this bit," he started, grinning, "You guys all know what we do New Years' right?"

"Partay!" Alicia, Tomika and Marta chorused.

"Besides that," Dewey said.

"Get wasted," Frankie and Freddy said simultaneously, grinning.

"And that."

"Watch that show," Billy said with distaste. He'd always felt the tacky attire other bands wore were more than he could bear.

"YES" Dewey said loudly, thrusting a fist in the air. "The Blackaby New Years Band-Bash."

"Whatever," Billy rolled his eyes.

"What about it?" Vee-Vee asked in a distracted tone. Her eyes and attention seemed to be focused on a pair of ants on the coffee table trying to lift a piece of tortilla.

"Let's just say," Dewey said, grinning still, "that you guys are not going to be playing anywhere in this country during that time."

He was met with silence.

"What're you-" Frankie started, but was cut off by Freddy's loud interjection.

"NO way," he said, sitting up. I noticed he seemed much more alert than usual. "You're joking."

"I'm afraid not, Spazz," Dewey said, shrugging lightly. "Got the invitation a while back. There's a cruise ship leaving from New Pylon Port two weeks from tomorrow, a number of suites with your names on them."

"WHAT!" the girls screamed, jumping up and down. I saw even Katie look impressed.

"But the port's four hours from here," I said loudly so that everyone turned their backs to face me. Why was I always the sole person to see sense in these times? "I mean, unless they've gotten us air tickets too to fly over there to make it…"

"No, we can drive," Zack said, looking thoughtful. He turned back to Dewey. "Couldn't we? Some of us could bring our cars, we'll drive over to the port…I'm sure we'll find someplace to leave them for a while."

"Good idea," Dewey said, nodding approvingly. "A road trip. Very rock and roll."

"Awesome," Gordon said, slapping a high-five with Marco.

"So we're really playing at the show?" Marta asked. "No jokes?"

"Marta, c'mon," Dewey said, pretending to be exasperated. "Would I lie about something like this?"

"Uh-I don't know," Freddy interjected, grinning. "Coming from the same person who impersonated his best friend to be in a …"

"Alright, alright, alright," Dewey snapped, but smiled. Then in a flash the smile had gone, and I realized Dewey was about to make his second (or third, depends on how you look at it) announcement.

"Okay, guys," he said, clearing his voice, "Another thing I gotta tell you. You know, with Roz expecting and everything, I don't think now's a really good time to leave her here to fend off the first trimester—"

And like that, I knew. I completely knew what he was about to say, even as the others didn't seem to get a clue.

"—So what I'm saying is that I'm stepping down as lead singer of the band—"

"WHAT!"

"—At least, for the foreseeable future—"

"WHAAT!"

"—Although I'll still be with you tomorrow night, of course, that doesn't—"

"DEWEY!" Everyone in the room yelled loudly. He shut his mouth, suddenly looking weary.

As for me, I was in shock.

Dewey was leaving the band. That was all it came down to.

"What," I started, walking towards them but looking at Dewey only, "do you expect the rest of us to do without a lead singer at this concert then?"

"Well," Dewey said, bending forward to reach for a chip. He stuffed it into his mouth before continuing. "That's where you come in, actually."

"Me." I stated. This had better be good.

"Yeah. Seeing as how you're band manager, I'm pretty sure you can manage to find a replacement for me by the time you get to the Big Ben."

I stared. No one spoke.

"_What_," I hissed finally. "Are you kidding me? You just said yourself the big event's in two weeks…"

"No, I said the _ship_ leaves in two weeks," Dewey countered, apparently determined to win me over. "The New Years' gig is in four weeks."

"So you expect Summer to find a lead singer by then?" Tomika raised her voice to be heard. This was so unusual that even Freddy seemed surprised. "And this person's supposed to be in total sync with the rest of the band by a month's time?"

"Yeah," Dewey said simply, downing some Sprite. "Look, Sum, it's not that difficult a challenge, now is it? Look at these two," he said, then bent over to pat Andy and Vee-Vee on the heads like pets, "These came out alright, didn't they? I'm sure you can work the charm again…"

"They are completely different cases, Dewey," I said, trying to keep my temper down but growing increasingly frustrated. Why couldn't he see?

"Wait a sec," Freddy interrupted. "_Summer's_ in charge?"

"Don't start, Freddy," I snapped. "This is serious."

"Who said it wasn't?" he countered back angrily. He turned back to Dewey. "How come she gets to make a big decision like this?"

"Because I'm band MANAGER," I said loudly. "That actually _means_ something, Freddy."

"Dewey," Freddy said in a lower tone. "She's raving mad, just look at her! She can't handle it, she can't handle pressure—"

"Freddy Jones," I yelled, turning to him furiously. "Kindly refrain from referring to me in third person when I am RIGHT HERE."

"STOP SHOUTING AT ME", he yelled, standing up from the couch quickly and facing me.

"Then stop TALKING," I yelled back.

"Guys..."

"Shut up, you two..."

"QUIET!" Dewey roared, and everyone dropped it.

I was seething. Why does Freddy always have to but his irritating blonde head in _everything_? Surely he can comprehend that things turn out fine without him by now?

"Listen, guys," Dewey said, breathing deeply. "Clearly we have a problem here."

"No shit," Freddy muttered.

"Watch your mouth, boy," Dewey said firmly. "I am still your artistic guardian…"

This was an inside joke we'd come up with years ago. Now, though, there was so nothing to laugh about.

"Yeah," Freddy muttered, his neck growing red from anger, "Some guardian. Ditching us at a time like this…" But he looked up and saw all of us staring at him. "Fine," he snapped, before lowering his voice. "Sorry, Dewey."

"It's fine," Dewey replied, then turned to everyone else. "Does anyone else have a problem with Summer's new agenda?"

I was tempted to raise my hand, but decided against it. Sure, it was what I could only see as a pointless and hopeless task, but I had to do it for the band. And especially for Dewey.

I just didn't have the first clue as to how I was going to start looking for the next best thing.

"No one?" Dewey inquired, staring us down. "No one? Good. I've got the problem sorted out then."

I turned around, ready to leave. I figured he was about to wrap up the meeting then.

It was right then that I got the feeling I'd been least expecting. And it had everything to do with what Dewey said next…

"Alright then, Summer, I'm handing the reigns over to you again…"

The feeling that just completely…

"…although you won't be shouldering all the burden…"

…made me want to scream…

"…'Cuz Freddy's going to help you find the new lead singer."

**

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A/N: Ha ha. So I've basically unleashed the overall plot of the story, I think, although there still will be lots of twists ahead. What do you guys think? Yeah, it's a bit longer this time, but I managed to stop myself here. Lol.**

About the characters Andy and Vee-Vee, they're based on several different friends of mine, but I specifically wanted Vee-Vee to be a 'halfie', a half-Lebanese to represent the crisis happening there these days, and half-Chinese because...well just 'cuz. Andy's shortened for Andrew (duh), and both of them will play more important roles later on.

Thanks y'all! Hope you like it, and review if you feel like it! Cheers.

**_

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original School of Rock people, (yet). But I do own Andy Seymour and Vee-Vee Qing-Khan. I don't own MTV either._**


	3. Dealings and Feelings

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks to those who've started reading the story! This chapter may be a bit shorter than the one before, but I just need it to show different point of views, not only Summer's. **

**

* * *

**

Rock with me, Roll with me

**.:TWO:.**

Dealings and Feelings

**Freddy's P.O.V. **

He was joking.

He _had_ to be joking. Right?

"C'mon, Dewey," I said, half-laughing. I looked around at everyone else, and each one of them wore an expression that I totally felt at heart. Even Summer. And man, does shock come rarely with that chick. It's almost like she's immune to surprise, cool as a cucumber through and through. But at this moment, I knew exactly how she felt. I turned back to Dewey, who was looking kind of smug for a guy who'd clearly lost it. "_Well?_ You're just pulling my leg, right?"

"'Fraid not, kiddo," he replied smoothly, twirling a finger over us one by one, as if doing some weird headcount. "I'm pretty sure you and Tinkerbell here can work things out for yourselves, I'm sure you can both behave like the young adults that you are, after all…"

Summer snorted next to me. I turned to face her coldly.

"Do you have anything to add, Miss Hathaway?"

"Dewey," she said, completely ignoring me. "Let's be serious now. If you just send me the contact information with the Blackaby people, as well as all the details regarding our transport to and from…"

Dewey clasped his hands over his ears quickly and starting hopping madly from one foot to another. "La, la, la," he sang loudly. He stopped and grabbed Summer by the shoulders. "Summer. Listen to me. I need you to relax a bit on this trip, okay?" He faced the rest of us, resting his eyes on me. "I want all of you to treat this as not only a gig, but also some quality time together. Even if it kills you to do so."

"Well," Billy inputted sarcastically from somewhere behind me. "_That's _not going to be unexpected, then."

I was still staring at Dewey. He was actually _serious_? "What!" I said loudly, feeling the heat rise to my face already. "I can't believe this, man! You really expect me to work…with _her_?" I hated it when I sounded like some whiny kid, but this was unbelievable.

"I can't work with _him_," Summer protested just as I spoke. We turned to face each other at the same time, a little surprised.

"There, see?" Dewey said triumphantly. "You _can_ agree on something, after all!"

"Yeah," I muttered, "Like she's completely anal-retentive-"

"And he's a complete _moron_-," Summer countered back.

"I don't want to hear anything more from either of you," Dewey said firmly. "Freddy, you split the workload with Summer, and I want you two to come up with the perfect vocalist to front the band by the time you make that gig, do you hear? _Together_."

I glared at Summer for a second longer, furious that she had the gall to look back at me. "_Man_," I blew up finally, tossing my hands in the air as I spun away from her. "I was totally psyched for this…"

I didn't hear the rest of what Dewey said, but I got the message that everyone, (besides Summer), seemed to get over the major drawback pretty quickly. In fact, by the time practice broke up a few minutes later and we all headed out in little groups, they were all buzzing with excitement.

"C'mon already," I muttered, disgruntled, as Katie and Zack and I got outside onto the bustling streets. Zack was still standing at the door. "What the hell you waiting for?"

"Vee-Vee's coming with us," he said, holding up a hand to wait. Just then, Summer stepped out of the doors, looking up from her leather back in time to see us standing.

"Bye Zack," she said when he smiled at her, "I'll see you guys tomorrow night then…"

"See you, Sum," Katie said, raising her hand that wasn't enclosed in mine up in farewell.

Summer nodded back. She looked up at me for a second, her dark eyes holding as little emotion as I felt. I gave her my best charming smile. "See you, partner," I said cockily, knowing she'd be tempted to say something back.

Fuming, she bustled some more with her bag and stormed away. I wanted to burst out laughing as I saw her silent retreat.

"You can be such a dick sometimes," Katie said, shoving me on the side. "Why're you always on her case?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not. She always starts it, you know." Katie looked skeptical. "It's true!" I protested, holding up a hand over my heart. "Honest. You can ask Zack…"

"You're an asshole, Freddy," he replied helpfully, grinning at us. Vee-Vee came bustling out the doors suddenly, nearly knocking Zack over in the process.

"Hey!" the girl cried as she skidded to a stop, her beret toppling off her head. She turned to face us, and slapped a hand against her head. "Oh, I'm so sorry, guys, I didn't know I was keeping you guys waiting too…"

"No problem," Zack said genially, recovering and standing up to face her. They both came down the steps and we started on our trek homewards.

"So what do you guys think?" Katie asked out loud after a while. "About London, I mean? I couldn't believe it when Dewey brought it up…"

"Me neither," Zack said. "It'll bring up our credibility a hundred-fold…"

"That sounds like something Summer would say," Vee-Vee said, laughing as she walked backwards besides Zack.

I tell you, the girl is weird.

"Don't bring her up," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. "I'd like to believe that this trip actually _isn't_ going to end up as a living nightmare…"

"Oh, come on, Freddy," Katie laughed, squeezing my hand. "That's the dumbest thing I've heard. Besides, remember what Dewey said. He said he's only taking leave for the foreseeable future. It doesn't mean that whoever you and Summer come up with is gonna be, you know, _the_ lead singer forever."

"True, that," Vee-Vee said. "I'm sure Freddy and Summer will come to terms with everything in time…"

I groaned inwardly. Seriously, I love Vee-Vee to death, but sometimes she didn't have the slightest clue about people.

That was probably what didn't go so well when we went out for a while.

"The only way anything's going to work out," I said now, "is if Summer does all the paperwork and all that boring stuff she's so good at, and leave the talent-search to _me_."

"Aren't you a bit full of yourself?" Zack laughed, propping Vee-Vee up just in time before she tripped over an empty soda can she couldn't see. "I mean, you make it sound like Summer knows nothing about music-"

"Well, she doesn't," I said firmly. "Don't tell me the clarinet's rock and roll, man. I just think she should stick to what she does best."

"And that is?" Katie asked, looking amused.

"Being Miss Over-Achiever, what else?"

I saw them roll their eyes knowingly, but it was true. Needless to say, I was starting to get pissed off. Even Katie doesn't take me seriously when it comes to Summer. It's as if they're all _immune_ to her…her…

There's not even a _word_ for it.

Well, none that I know how to spell, anyway.

We split paths at the intersection, Zack and Vee-Vee going off the other way.

"See you tomorrow night," Zack said as I pounded fists with him. "I think I'll go an hour early to warm up…"

"Yeah, me too," I said, throwing my arm around Katie's shoulder as we backed up onto the other road. "Bye, Vee-Vee, my love."

"Bye, guys!" Vee-Vee waved, smiling brightly at us. Her beret was now officially off her head and clutched tightly in one hand as she turned around to walk properly with Zack.

Katie and I walked to her place, which wasn't that far from mine.

"You coming in?" she asked, looking up at me. I nodded in reply. She talked some more about London, but I tuned out a bit. Katie has this habit of not saying much in front of the others, then totally talking my ear off an hour later.

Not that I mind. Much. Katie's fun, and we understand each other. If I see a cute fresh face at one of our gigs, she knows I won't be going home with her. The same likewise.

No problems. No fuss.

We got to her place, a nice apartment situated in one of the rich complexes in town. She was the third person in the band to move out of the family's house. I was the first, Summer second. But unlike Summer, Katie hadn't been so stubborn as to _raise_ the money to buy her own place. Her parents gave her the keys, and she righteously accepted them.

Come on. Why make a fuss? What's the point of being born into an affluent family if you don't learn how to appreciate it, right?

Just thinking of Summer and her annoying morals got me pissed off again.

"Freddy?"

"Yeah, sorry," I said, then stepped inside Katie's one-bedroom flat after her. We shrugged off our coats and left them on the nearest couch.

"I'm getting a beer," Katie said, heading off to the small kitchen unit. "You want one?"

"Why not?" I replied before launching myself onto the couch. Katie's place is always clean, thanks to the maid who comes every morning. It's also probably due to the fact that Katie doesn't even spend that much time at her place. Usually she crashes at someone else's, as all of us tend to do in the band.

Oh, one exception, of course. But then, Summer's never really been into the crashing scene. Usually she goes straight home after gigs and parties.

Go figure.

Katie came back in a few minutes, handing me a can before going around to the opposite couch. She set her own can down on the coffee table, before grabbing the acoustic guitar next to the couch.

"Practice is actually over," I said pointedly, gesturing toward the guitar.

"So?" Katie shrugged, before settling herself back onto the couch and starting to play a familiar song. As she hit the opening bars, I rested my head against the head of the couch, soaking in the hot trail that the beer was blazing down my throat.

"Oh, good one," I said approvingly as I closed my eyes to listen better. Katie had picked up on guitar pretty quick in the last two years, and it was clearly showing as she tackled _Lucky_ by Radiohead.

Katie started singing along with the music in a low voice. I let my mind wander off. Music always has that effect on me. Good music, of course. I tried not to let the frustrating turn of events today get a rise from me again.

Katie's voice filtered weakly through my thoughts, like a soft background soundtrack. I still couldn't believe we'd gotten ourselves the Blackaby concert. I mean, we're good, of course, but I'd never actually thought we were _that_ good as to nab ourselves a spot.

_It was probably Summer's doing_, said a little voice in my head. I frowned. That was completely off, because Summer had seemed kind of surprised about it too.

But what did I care? The point was still there. I actually was going to have to put up with her ramblings throughout the trip, inconceivable as it was. I blamed Dewey for it. _He_ was the one who'd gotten himself practically quarantined with Mullins.

"_Pull me out of the aircrash_," Katie was singing the chorus now. A little louder than she'd started, I noticed.

Crashed. That was what Dewey was. I'm not saying him having a kid is anything bad, but it sure as hell was going to cost him. The band, for one thing. I shook my head. _Man, I'm never gonna have kids_, I thought.

_Pull me out of the lake…_

For the longest time, I'd been unconvinced that the term had been _lake_.If the plane's crashed, wouldn't ithaveburst into flames?I had never found any literary sense out of the whole song, and drove everyone around me crazy trying to figure it out. Finally, Zack had told me to let it go, (heaven forbid him to say any foul words), to just appreciate the ambiguity of whatever the song could mean.

So to me: Flames.

Fuck, I was itching for a smoke. But Katie doesn't let anyone light up in her apartment, on account of how she went all yoga on everyone. That was about the same time she dyed all her clothes black and started picking up Summer's pro-feminist views.

Suddenly Summer's outraged face flew into my mind as the urge for a cigarette grew. She hates it too. I grinned despite myself, wishing she was around just so I could verbally abuse her that way.

"What's so funny?" Katie's voice pierced through my thoughts.

"What?" I opened my right eye, squinting at her.

"Why are you smiling?" she said, sounding amused as she set down the guitar to the side. She leant forward to take a swig from her can, setting it against her chest as she leant back on the couch. "Is the song that amusing?"

I grinned at her. "Nope. Just entranced by your lovely voice, as usual…"

"Sure," she snorted, rolling her dark-lined eyes at me.

"What?" I asked, genuinely surprised. I wasn't _completely_ lying. Her voice wasn't bad. A bit low-pitched for a girl, sure, but otherwise she could sing a tune. In fact, Katie would be quite alright with jazz or something. Soft punk, even…

I shot up in my seat, set my eyes on Katie clearly. "Wait a sec…" I whispered, not particularly to Katie or even myself.

"You," I said, growing more excited by the second. "You could be it…You could _totally_ be it…."

"Freddy?" Katie looked lost, only mildly interested. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Soft rock…" I kept on going, not really hearing her, "Maybe with the more retro material, too…"

"Okay, Freddy, spit it out now."

"The lead singer!" I said loudly, pointing both hands at her. "You could be our lead singer…no one should have a problem with it, 'cuz…I mean, we all know you and stuff."

Why hadn't I thought of it before?

"WHAT?" Katie bolted up, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Plus you already know all the material," I kept on going, "I mean, yeah, it would suck losing a bass, but VeeVee can pick up on anything, practically, so I don't think Summer would say-"

"Summer would say you're fucked," Katie replied, shaking her head as she rested back onto her couch. "Freddy, just accept the fact that you're going to have work with her, okay?"

Oh, sweet joy.

The best part about it would be that I wouldn't have be obligated to Summer over this trip, and I'd be free to do all the things I do best.

Having a blast.

"C'mon, Katie," I said coaxingly. I stood up and threw myself onto the seat next to her. "You know you want to…"

"No, I don't want to," Katie said, sounding less firm than at first. She looked down at her hand, which I had taken in mine as I pulled her to me.

"You could be _the_ lead singer," I said, looking at her face so I'd know where to go. "You could be the boss…"

"That's ridiculous," she snapped suddenly, looking sharply at me. "Everyone knows it's_ our_ band."

Ookay. Time to switch gears. And I thought I knew just how to do it.

"Fine," I said, "You're right. I was just kidding. What I meant to say was…don't you want to prove to everyone that chicks…I mean, girls," I amended quickly, "can rock too?"

Katie fell silent.

Bingo.

"Seriously," I said casually, "With the band behind you all the way…you singing the same songs Dewey sang, just in a different style…"

"But what about the others?" Katie said quietly, looking away. "What about Alicia and Marta and Tomika? I mean…wouldn't they be more in tune with all of that stuff? It's not like yours is the only opinion that counts, Freddy, much as you would like to think…"

Why is it that people keep on saying that? I am not _that_ much of a self-centered prat.

Seriously. It's almost enough to think that it's actually _MY_ fault that I was born so supreme.

"They'll love the idea," I said firmly. "And as for the backup trio…" I paused, my mind rapidly coming up with any which lie. I'd forgotten about them. I was particularly worried about Tomika, who practically got first vocals dibs on any songs Dewey wanted enhancing.

I was also pretty sure Summer wouldn't let her friend go that easily.

But I'd already brought it up in front of everyone that Summer would kind of mess up the job. And I'd gotten myself into this mess.

"Don't worry about them," I said finally, figuring I'd come up with something along the way. There wasn't room to discuss this any further tonight, otherwise Katie's conscience would catch up with me, and I'd have to start all over again. "I promise. They'll see things our way…"

And with that, I bent my head and kissed her full on the lips, forbidding her to say another word to my otherwise brilliant plan.

**

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Zack's P.O.V.**

"So what do you think of the trip?" VeeVee asked me a few minutes after we'd split ways with Freddy and Katie.

"I donno," I said honestly, smiling at her. We passed several dilapidated looking buildings which were currently under renovation. It was one of the few streets that separated our neighborhood from the neighborhood where Freddy lives. "I don't actually know what to make of it. It's a great opportunity for us though…"

"Yeah, it is," VeeVee said, twirling her beret around with a finger. Her soft pink hair glistened with the weaker light of the evening, but her eyes were just sparkling as she brought up the topic.

And for good reason, I guessed. VeeVee's never been outside the country before. Actually I don't think she's been out of the state even.

"I think it's funny," she announced, leaving it at that.

I raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to continue, but she didn't. "Well?" I prompted, unable to keep from smiling at her satisfied expression.

"Oh, you know," she started off vaguely. "Dewey making Summer and Freddy work together when they say they can't."

I nodded in agreement, although silently wondering how on earth she went from the idea of the trip to Summer and Freddy. Then I turned to face her. "Wait, what do you mean? You make it sound like they're lying."

"No, not lying. Just making it up." VeeVee seemed oblivious to my state of mind. "I think it's a good idea. Sure, we might face some difficulties at first, but in the end I'm sure that everything will work out great! We're going to London, after all…"

For a second I was tempted to laugh in her face. "Are you kidding? I've known both of them for practically a decade. Freddy and Summer _thrive_ on killing each other. Any thing otherwise would…I donno. Imbalance mother nature," I finished dramatically, then laughed at the skeptical look on her face.

"Well, I don't think so," VeeVee replied. "I'm sure they'll start to agree more with each other if it really comes down to the band."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

VeeVee gave me a pointed look. "Well, it'll depend on how much the band means to both of them."

I thought about it for a second, hardly noticing the turn we made onto a new road. I wasn't really sure I got what she was saying, but that's never really a new feeling when it comes to VeeVee Qing-Khan.

"Anyway," she said, her tone changing abruptly. "I heard Summer said you have a new song."

"On the other hand, I'm actually _very_ interested in Freddy and Summer…"

"Oh," VeeVee said, laughing that weird laugh of hers. "This is the part where you try to change the subject and fail miserably, is it? No, seriously, when are we going to hear it? I think we could always use some new material, especially now since we're going to this Black and Bee thing."

"Blackaby," I corrected, shrugging to her previous question. I didn't particularly want to discuss going to the trip itself right now. "I'm not quite done with it yet."

"Well, what's it on this time?"

"You'll see," I said mysteriously, smiling. I'd been thinking of showing it to Dewey first, actually, but now that the girls knew…

"Alright," VeeVee said, and I prepared myself for another sudden topic-switch.

"So," she said, turning to face me with an pixie-ish look on her face. "I bet Marta will like it."

My mind froze, but I kept on walking. I managed a smile. "Yeah, well…"

"When are you going to tell her?" she said bluntly, actually stopping to stare me down. I stopped too and faced her, laughing as it was impossible to try and cut her off. "Seriously, Zack, you're letting the last traces of youth go with every breath you take…"

"I'm only 19, VeeVee," I said, amused.

"And still acting like you're nine, Zack." She put her hands on her hips, and I laughed some more as I stared at this short, bubblegum-haired with cat eyes that were looking me accusingly. "TELL HER."

"Not now," I said patiently for the millionth time. "Besides…she has lots of guys anyway…"

"Yeah, but how will you know if any of them are doing it for her if you don't try and find out?" VeeVee said sagely, starting walking again. "Who knows? She might like you too."

I smiled at her, but didn't reply. Really, what was there to say?

"Okay," VeeVee said, with a determined look in her eye that spelt out, (at least, for me), one word.

Danger.

"I'll give you three chances," she said.

"Three chances for what?" I asked warily.

"To tell her how you feel, of course."

Of _course_.

"No way," I said, meaning it.

"Three ways," she countered hotly, "The first is the car ride to the port, where circumstances shall find themselves favorable and you two will be in the same ride…"

I stared at her, slightly horrified.

"The second is, of course, during the cruise itself." She turned to me with a wide grin, "And if you need anything, I'll be glad to help…you know, candlelit dinner, letter of declaration, guitar…whatever…"

"Guitar?" I said lowly, not trusting my voice to go any higher out of due shock.

"Yeah," she said simply, "If serenading someone's your thing…Oh, and the last one is sometime during our stay in London. Personally, I think any of those three settings will do, although you should probably build up to it to her before you just pounce, if you know what I mean…"

"Yeah," I said, barely choking. "We wouldn't want that…"

"I know," she nodded wisely, "But yeah, any of those three will be fine, just so long as you do it. Then you'll finally get that boost of confidence you've always lacked-"

"Hey!" I protested, although it was hard to keep the amusement out of my voice. Not to mention I was still going over her grand plan in my mind.

"-and you can finally get a girlfriend whom you actually like."

This was insane.

"I've been with only one girl in my life, VeeVee," I said, "And I will have you know that all three were truly delightful girls who I met-"

"-Backstage after they were scamming on the other guys, yeah, I know."

I shut my mouth, realizing I was cornered in every possible way.

VeeVee gave me a pointed look, one that clearly said, 'Don't even try it.' I just gave up and smiled.

"There you go," she said, smiling back and obviously glad she'd gotten through. She linked her arm through mine as we walked down the last street to my house.

The one where my family still lives.

"I'll see you tomorrow night then," she said, letting me go as soon as we'd reached the door. She kept on walking down the road. "If I'm not there in the first fifteen minutes, try to keep Summer from having a hernia and tell her I'll be there, okay?"

I waved a hand at her in agreement, grinning at her as she started skipping the rest of the way down.

"Later," I called out, shaking my head in amusement as I got out the house keys. Once inside, the smile faded off my face. The grand entrance was empty except for the comfortable humming of the air-cons, but I knew that both my parents were at home.

"Mom?" I called out. "Dad?"

"I'm in the basement," came a hollow reply. My mother. She renovated the whole basement into her own art studio, the place where she hibernated for days at a time.

"Where's dad?" I called out again, taking my coat off. "I need to talk to you guys about…"

"Oh, Zack, there you are," my dad said as he appeared from the side staircase. I turned around to see him come toward me with his own coat over one arm. "I was just on my way out. I need to talk to you about something later…"

"What about?"

He ran a hand over his dark, slightly balding head, smiling. "Oh, something great I promise."

I felt my stomach plummet.

I doubted it. The only thing that could make him this happy was my future educational career. One that I-

Actually, one that _most_ of us in the band had postponed for the sake of being a band. This was the first of what we'd decided would be a two-year gap between our high school graduation and the next step.

Dad hadn't been too happy about that, trying everything he could under his powers to make me apply to the top six colleges he'd worked out for me. But that had bombed, (I'd asked for and gotten help from Freddy).

"Okay," I forced a smile back, watching him as he headed out the door. "Great. I need to talk to you later too…about something important…"

My father opened the front door, turning back once to give me a reassuring smile, before he disappeared out.

This was the thing.

I foresaw VeeVee being very disappointed with her newfound goals for me, all three of them.

Because I didn't see any way how my dad was going to let me to go London with the rest of the band.

Not if his big news had anything to do with a diploma, lectures, and seminars…

And definitely no rock-n-roll.

**

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A/N: Hmm. I never got over the fact that Zack's dad was such a !&$ in the movie, so sorry about that. Ha. Now I know what you're saying. "He's an adult, for crying out loud!" But I promise there's more to it than meets the eye, and I just didn't want the whole great gig in London to be a piece of pie for everyone. Also, I don't intend on taking too much of multiple narratives, in that it's only going to be a few selected characters that you'll see their P.O.V.s of.**

Hope you like the story, slow as it may seem right now, but I promise, it'll get better from next chapter, where it'll be Summer and Freddy's P.O.V.s again.

I was going to add Katie in here somewhere, but decided it wasn't necessary.

_**Thanks everyone! And to those who've reviewed: **_

_**purerock: **Thanks for reading and reviewing! Yeah, the story'll start happening soon. I just like my details, lol, and just need to get everyone (the characters, I mean), in sync the way I want them before the plot thickens. :-D_

_**deviocity**: Thank you very much! Ha ha, I've found a lot of great Frummer fics here but always wanted to do one of my own so here it is. Lol. Hope you keep reading!_

_**endymion015**: Ha ha. Wow, I loved your last chapter, can I just say that again. Lol. Sorry if I rambled on a bit in my last review, I didn't mean to. :-( Anyway, yeah, about VeeVee, I admit Luna Lovegood came to mind several times when I was outlining her character, but mostly she's based on a good friend of mine who never fails to make my life interesting. Lol. Thanks for reviewing! And Update Soon! (But don't wear yourself out, and take care. I read your blog!) _

_**Nanners-77**-Wow, thanks for your great comments! I try to edit all my work, not just fanfic, as carefully as possible in the amount of time I get, but somehow those sneaky little typos always end up somewhere. Lol. But like I said, I'm striving to make the next few chapters heated up a bit...Thanks again! _

_**lilyflowr33**and **vain valentine: **Thanks! I'll try to update more often, hope youkeep reading!

* * *

****__Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original School of Rock people, (yet). But I do own Andy Seymour and Vee-Vee Qing-Khan. _

**_The song Lucky is by Radiohead, and I own neither. _**


	4. To Deal

**Rock with me, Roll with me**

**.:THREE:.**

To Deal

**Freddy's P.O.V. **

Fire is like a beautiful woman.

Eerily lovely to behold from a safe distance, it may even take your breath away. Once you start, however, to mess around with it beyond your capabilities, it rages out of control and is consequently a danger to your health.

Basically, you're fucked.

"That is why," I continued my lecture on the phone, "my friend, you get out of the situation before it locks you down. _Okay_, Marco? _Don't get locked down_. Just dump her already!"

"I _can't_," Marco said on the line, his voice sounding slightly muffled. I sighed, cradling my cell phone under my ear so I could light a cigarette. I made my way up the staircase through the kitchen, up to the roof of my apartment, (it pays to be able to get the penthouse), and continued my pointless conversation there so I wouldn't wake Katie up.

"What do you mean, you can't?" I demanded, rolling my eyes. A cool gust of wind was chilling the air as soon as I stepped outside, and I immediately wished I'd thrown on a sweater or something instead of exposing my bare torso to the elements.

"I can't," Marco repeated, "It's like she's got me trapped, Freddy. She's so horrible, and she's always telling me how I should arrange my stuff…I hate it when she tells me to arrange my stuff, Freddy…"

I nodded wordlessly, agreeing. Why do chicks always do that? All I can say is, if any girl lucky enough to get into my apartment started telling me I had to arrange _my_ vintage disc collection in some way, she'd be out the door before you could say 'dissed and dismissed'.

"Tough break, man," I said, getting bored. "I wish I could help you out more."

"You know, it's easy for you to say. You never get the worst of the bunch."

I grinned, taking a wheeze out of my cigarette. "I'm born blessed, man. Sorry. Also, you need to know how to pick 'em, and pick 'em quick. It's not an easy battlefield, Marco. You need to know how to lay the ground rules quickly, so that they know not to step outta line."

Marco sighed, "Okay, whatever. Thanks, anyway, Freddy, I…", he broke off, then came back sounding completely petrified. "Holy shit, I think she's at the door…I gotta go…" And with that, we said goodbye.

Just then I saw a sleek black and white VW Beetle pull up in front of the building. _Great_, I thought, squinting my eyes a bit to make sure I was seeing right. A morning call from the delightful Summer Hathaway.

I took my sweet time going back into my apartment, thinking maybe I should head off Summer at the door so the doorbell wouldn't wake Katie up. What did she want at this time anyway?

For a second I almost regretted inviting Katie over to my place from hers last night, but I just can't seem to sleep anywhere other than my own beds.

It was completely bizarre.

I went into the kitchen area and checked the time. Ten-thirty a.m. Just like Summer Hathaway to annoy me at the crack of dawn. She was lucky I hadn't had a good night's rest, but that, I reminded myself happily, was Katie's fault.

The doorbell rang just as I'd realized I'd poured _soy milk_ into my bowl of cereal. Annoyed, I realized instantly that it was a good thing Summer was at the door. I went over and yanked it open, opening my mouth to let loose a good one, when she streaked right by me in a flurry of silk, khaki and rosewater scent.

"G'morning, Wilfred," she said breezily as she let herself in. She tossed her leather satchel onto the nearest and walked right into the kitchen unit.

"I trust Katie's around, then?" I heard her ask as I slammed the door shut. How did she know that? I started to follow her, when I saw the landmine of clothes Katie and I had, er, _misplaced_, along the hallway leading to my bedroom.

Grinning, I went into the kitchen, just in time to see Summer swig a spoonful of _my_ cereal.

"I'm glad to see you're consuming the soy milk I got you," she said, not looking at me.

"Yeah," I said lazily, taking a barstool next to her. We took turns with the spoon in peace. Occasionally, Summer and I are not so territorial. But that's only in the mornings, when I'm completely out of it. "Thanks for this disgusting nutritional…fluid, Sum. I just love it when you restock _my_ fridge with the type of shit _you_ like." I spoke with my mouth full, just to annoy her.

"Gross," she said, jumping away from me and hurrying back into the living room. She returned almost right away with the satchel at hand. She pulled out a couple of files and slapped them onto the table, just as Katie walked into the kitchen. She must've gotten up sooner than I'd thought, because she was all showered and dressed and ready to go.

"Hey," she said, looking unsurprised to see Summer with her usual files. "I _thought_ that was you at the door. Hey, are those sheets Zack's music?"

Summer shook her head, "I'm trying, believe me, but that boy's as stubborn as a mule when it comes to his stuff."

"You guys leave my man alone," I drawled, finishing the last of my cereal. "If the guy wants to be shy about his touchy-feely lyrics, then _let_ him."

"You think he'll show VeeVee?" Katie asked as she went to the fridge, completely ignoring what I'd just said.

"Maybe," Summer said with her head poring over whatever it was on the counter. "But he told me he'd show it to us as soon—"

"As he feels the muses are done," Katie and I chimed in along with her. We'd heard it a million times.

"Freddy, you need to go shopping," Katie informed me. I didn't turn around. Instead, I was vaguely interested in what Summer was so busy looking at when she'd been the one to come _here_. I mean, seriously, if she's going to be such a rude guest and go reading something then she could've easily done it at her place.

Besides, all she did at mine was just complain that I didn't keep the place sparkling clean or something like that.

"I'm going home," Katie announced, leaning over my shoulder so she could give me a kiss. I tried to say goodbye but her lips were pressed against mine so tight I wondered—briefly—if she was trying to make Summer jealous. The girls are always trying to fix her up on blind dates and stuff. Promote her social status, as they say.

It didn't look like it had worked. Summer was still as glued to her pieces as before, and I thought I saw Katie roll her eyes before grabbing her bag off a couch and heading toward the door.

"I'll see you later, guys," she said, then left.

I turned back to Summer. She was sitting across me so casually, I felt like _I_ was the guest.

I leant my elbows on the table and peered in close. "What," I said very quietly so she couldn't accuse me of disturbing the peace, (yes, she loves accusing me of that), "the hell are you doing?"

She didn't look up. "I'm arranging a schedule of activities we can do once we get to London, seeing as how none of you will think of it beforehand."

"Oh," I said, almost immediately losing interest. Anything with plans and maps was no good with me. "Yes, thank the Lord for Summer Hathaway, our beacon of touristic hope."

"You made that word up," she muttered, then sighed before looking up. "Alright, now that she's gone, I can get down to business."

I knew this was coming. I started drumming my hands along the edge of the smooth marble tabletop, just to annoy her, or (hopefully) stop her from talking.

"What business?" I feigned surprise.

"You know full well what I'm talking about, Freddy. This idiotic scheme Dewey thinks you can handle—"

"Ouch," I said, "Do I detect a note of doubt, Tink?"

She rolled her eyes at me.

And she accuses _me_ of being immature. Now that is just calling the pot black. I mean, kettle.

Or is pot?

Whatever. As if anyone uses either of those in this day and age.

"FREDDY JONES", the banshee screamed in my face.

"I'm listening," I said loudly.

I watched, half-amused, as she struggled to keep her temper down and her breathing easy. "Listen, Freddy," she started, looking down at her hands as she spoke. Summer loves doing this. I somehow believe that all the Answers to the Queries of the Earth are inscribed delicately on those two little hands of hers, because Summer is always spreading them out and waving them around in the air when she thinks she's making a point that I will actually care about.

When, in fact, I don't really care all that much about anything.

In fact, I could probably count the number of things I do care about on one hand.

"Freddy, listen to me," Summer said again firmly, and I nodded for her to go on. "I really think she can do it. Okay, so she's a little self-conscious and everything, but I was hoping you could talk her out of it…"

"Wait." I said, shaking my head already. "Who are we talking about?"

"Tomika, Freddy," Summer said exasperatedly. I don't know why she's all in a huff, it's not as if I_ heard_ her say Tomika's name.

"Tomika?" I echoed, scrunching my face up as I thought about it. "No," I said after a while, shaking my head. "No, no, no. It's not going to work."

I knew this would happen. Tomika's like the only friend Summer has, so of course Summer would nominate her friend.

"It's not going to work," I said again.

"Why not?"

"Because," I said, "It's Tomika. She won't do it."

"I know!" She practically shouted, leaning over the tabletop earnestly. "That's why _you're_ going to convince her."

"No, I'm not," I said again. "Convincing people to do things they don't want to do is stupid and a waste of time, two things I don't abide well with."

"Oh, you're kidding me," Summer said flatly, folding her arms in front of her. That's another one of her Favorite Things To Do To Me. "You don't abide well with stupidity? _That's_ new to me. And also, I can't believe you used the word abide."

I smiled cunningly at her. "I threw that one in for fun."

She rolled her eyes at me, (yet _another_ habit of hers when it comes to my presence), and said, "I'm serious, Freddy, and I'd really appreciate it if we could both take the time to realize how workable this thing with Tomika…"

"Forget it," I said loudly, getting off the stool. I turned my back on her, figuring I'd better go take a shower now that Katie had left. "It's not going to work, Summer, regardless of how tight you may be with her. She's got great pipes, yeah, but Tomika is never going to strike up the nerve…"

"Sure, if you don't give her a _chance_, Freddy," she said loudly as she made started following me into my room. "You know, for someone who's so sure of himself, you _really_ don't have enough faith in people, do you?"

"I have faith in _me_," I said confidently, not bothering to turn around. I was tempted to slam my bedroom door shut in her know-it-all face, but then she'd probably pick the lock with a shoelace or with some other equally smart method.

"_Pfft_," she made some funny sound like that, and walked into my room behind me. She made another funny sound, this time even more sarcastic. "Wow," she said flatly, looking around my haven.

Despite myself, I looked around with her.

My four-poster black and gray bed was situated right up against my amazing view of town, unmade from the night before but usually my Peruvian maid comes in later on weekends. Dark wood and gray steel meshed at various areas in the room in the form of furniture; state of the art study desk, a couple of chairs, bedside tables, wardrobe…I prefer the true bachelor-pad theme, minimalist all the way.

"Oh my word," I heard Summer sigh beside me, shaking her head as she took in the bed. "How I hate this room."

"People don't really think it's bad after a while," I said defensively, turning away from her so I could rummage through my wardrobe.

"People," she snorted, then added in a disgusted tone, "They get used to it after a while as in…a night, right?" She made some snarky comment under her breath, but I pretended not to hear.

Suddenly I remembered the brainstorm I'd had the evening before. I turned back to Summer with a grin. "Summer," I said, going over to her and grabbing hold of her shoulders. "Forget Tomika. I've got our lead."

Summer—who'd been looking at me suspiciously the moment I'd said her name—took a moment to register what I'd said. "You've got what?" she asked, her tone flat, her eyes narrowed. "_You've_ got our lead. Who is it then?"

I smiled. I had to play it well. With any body else, with _anything_ else, I'd have them eating out of my hand. Unfortunately, Summer Hathaway was not as malleable.

"Yeah," I said, letting go of her because it was agony having to do so. "And she's great-"

"Oh," I heard her say. "A she, then. I should've known."

"Yeah, she's better than you'd expect, actually. And what's even better is that you already know her. All of you do…"

"Look, Freddy," she said, her tone all prim and proper as usual. "VeeVee's already doing too much, as it is. We can't just replace her when-"

"No, no, no," I said quickly, realizing I'd been _too_ subtle. "It's not VeeVee. It's Katie."

Summer's eyebrows went way up at that, and, for a second, I thought I saw a sliver of surprise in her eyes. "Katie," she said flatly. "Katie is going to be our lead."

I nodded, "She sings great, I tell you. Okay, not as well as Tomika, or even Dewey for that matter, but she already knows all our material, and is willing to take the part…"

Okay, so I made up the last part. Katie hadn't said anything about being _willing. _Still, everyone would see how right I am this time, just as soon as Summer agrees.

"Katie can sing?" Summer asked now, looking like she was trying to keep her tone neutral. "I didn't know that. How come she hasn't said anything before this?"

Good point.

"Uh…she's shy," I said, nodding encouragingly, "But she's willing to put that aside for now for the…sake of the band." I patted myself mentally for that one. Summer was all about self-sacrifice and dedication.

Sure enough, she was silent for a change, meaning she didn't quite know what to say yet. I took the opportunity to plough on. "Yeah, in fact, she and I were thinking of announcing it to the band tonight at the gig…"

I figured one little white lie should follow another.

I waited patiently for her reaction, turning my back on her. "I'm going to take a shower," I announced, heading for the bathroom. "You can make yourself at home, and if you do, can you go into my study room and feed Tangerine? Your coming here made me forget…"

Usually I don't allow anyone to mess around too much with my pets, of which I have two. Tangerine is my three-year old chameleon that Dewey got me for in the ninth grade, for managing to pass English literature that year. If I'd failed another test, I'd have had to repeat the year behind the others, but Dewey had asked, (or bribed) Summer to tutor me.

I loved that chameleon from the very first day I'd seen her. Just as much as I love Mister Blister, my two-month old bulldog. I got him when we'd graduated, an unusual gift from my parents, who'd also gotten me the traditional car.

"Fine," Summer said now, walking out of my room quickly when I made like I was going to start stripping right then and there. I grinned at her retreating back, and decided she'd come around to my idea by the time I'd finished showering.

Some time after, I walked into my study room to look for Summer. I found her sitting in one of the grandfather couches lined up against the bookshelves.

"What are you doing?" I asked, not even bothering to look at the title of the hardcover in her hands. I walked over to the four-foot glass case at the other end of the room, easing my arm in so I could stroke the rough edge of Tangerine's back.

"I'm reading," Summer said, not looking up. "I'm sure you understand the concept, unfamiliar as you may be with it."

"Ha ha," I said dryly, smirking slightly as I knew we were both easing back into our usual selves. I gently lifted Tangerine off the piece of wood she'd been resting on, replacing it with my shoulder as was our custom. Immediately, she made the incredible effort of moving an inch to get comfortable, the end of her tail resting lightly against the back of my neck.

"So what do you think?" I asked Summer, walking leisurely over to the desk. I grabbed a box of cigarettes, flipping it open to smack one out.

"Hmm? About what?"

"About Katie."

"Oh, right," she said, looking up. Her eyes rested on the cigarette in my hand, and she frowned. Before she could protest though, I'd lit it and taken a puff already. "Must you do that _now_, Freddy?"

"You're not answering my question."

"Look, I don't actually think it's a good idea," she said, snapping the book shut and setting it on the nearby desk. She smoothed the front of her skirt as she got up. "To tell you the truth, I don't really understand how you can tell me my efforts with Tomika are based on a friendship we already have…"

"I didn't say that," I said defensively.

"No," she admitted, waving the smoky air away from her. "But I know that's what you're getting at Freddy, there's no point in denying it."

I made a face, but I didn't say anything. She was right, as usual.

"So I don't really see why you should get to involve Katie in this," she said simply. "I mean, if you weren't going out, I doubt you'd even be considering her."

I stared, trying not to lose my temper. "What's that supposed to mean, if we weren't going out? What does that have to do with anything?"

"The same 'anything' that has to do with my friendship with Tomika. Face it, Freddy, you're just dragging Katie into this-"

"I'm not dragging her into anything!" I half-shouted, waving my hand around so the cigarette would annoy her even more.

"Yes, you are," she countered back, looking at me with a stubborn look on her face. "So I guess what I'm saying is that if you're blocking Tomika, then I don't see why I should let Katie walk all over this band just because you want to win."

"Win?" I echoed angrily. "What the hell does that mean? We're supposed to be a team, remember?"

"Then, as a team we need to find someone we _both_ approve of," Summer said loudly, her cheeks turning a soft shade of red. "And would you STOP waving that cancer stick around in the air? You're infecting me with carcinogens as we speak…"

"Will you shut up with that stuff?" I replied angrily, walking out of the room. I headed toward the kitchen, aware that she was following me anyway. I couldn't believe this. I had a great plan together, and here it was being blown into nothing before I'd even brought it forward to the others.

"Are you going to the gig early?" she asked me as she took a seat at the counters, swiveling herself gently on the barstool. I could tell she was trying to change the subject.

Now that _she'd_ closed it, apparently.

"Yeah," I said flatly, mad at her, and mad at myself for not having convinced her.

"Good. I'll give you a ride, I'm leaving in a couple of hours," she said, dragging the folder she'd brought toward her again. "You're going to have to drive though, because I still have to resolve some papers with the owners of that club on the way there…"

Just then the doorbell rang, interrupting her before she could bore me further. I went to get the door, exhaling another cloud of puff. I considered putting Tangerine back until I was done smoking, but then figured she was used to it.

"Hey, Freddy," Victor said once I'd swung open the door. In his arms was Mister Blister, his tiny fawn-colored body looking newly shined after a morning at the groomers'.

"Hey, Vic," I said, stuffing my hand in one of my pockets to come up with a fifty dollar bill. "Here, you can keep the change. Was he any trouble?"

"None at all," Victor said, his face lightening up at the money. I took my dog from him, saying goodbye to his pet-sitter and shutting the door behind me. I walked back into the kitchen slowly, stroking the tiny head of my pup while trying not to throw Tangerine off with every stroke.

"Hey, Freddy, I'm going to get lunch ready, since you don't…" Summer looked up and saw me. "Oh, hey, Mister Blister!" She brightened up instantly, hurrying off her chair and coming over to me so she could coo all over him. "Aw, aren't you just adorable…can I hold him, Freddy?"

I shrugged, not wanting to seem too relenting. "I usually order take out," I informed her as she walked away from me, the pup in her arms. "I got a stack of brochures in there…" I said, pointing at a nearby high table but she shook her head.

"You never know how they make those," she said, kissing Mister Blister on the top of his head. "Besides, we have two hours to kill before we go."

I opened my mouth to protest about how this was my house, etc. etc. Then I remembered Summer's cooking and decided to keep it shut. "Fine," I muttered, taking one last, lingering sip before I threw the cigarette into the sink. "But whatever you make, don't add—"

"Any tomatoes, zucchini or vanilla," Summer recited, giving the dog one last kiss before setting him onto the couch in the living room.

I nodded, disgruntled. Everyone who knows me knows I'm allergic to vanilla, but few know that I really hate tomatoes and zucchinis. Only Summer Hathaway would know everyone's particular likes and dislikes and store it into the memory vaults in her little head.

As she rummaged familiarly around my kitchen unit, I went over into the living room to play around with Mister Blister. I set Tangerine down onto the couch, careful to leave her where I could always see her.

Mister Blister waddled over to her on pudgy legs, sniffing unceremoniously at her. The next second he took a couple of violent sneezes, his little wrinkled head shuddering slightly with every attack.

I chuckled, always amused at the only flatmates I'd ever had, not including Zack of course. Suddenly I remembered that when we left for London, it was going to be for at least a month.

"Hey Summer," I called back, frowning slightly. "You know anything about the company whose cruise ship we're boarding?"

"What?" Summer replied, sounding confused. She also sounded like she was rummaging around for a pot, if the loud clanging noises were anything to go by. "I don't know much yet…I think they're called Genesis Cruisers. Why?"

"You got any idea on their policy with pets?"

"_What?_ Freddy, what on earth are you…", Summer stopped, and so did the noises. In a flash, she was out the kitchen unit and staring down at me, a large frying pan gripped tightly in one hand. "Freddy Jones," she said loudly, her eyes narrowing, "Don't you dare suggest what I think you're suggesting."

"And what's that?" I challenged in a drawl, tugging Mister Blister toward me for defense, just in case.

"You are NOT" she yelled, "bringing them to London."

"Yes, I am," I said simply. Calmly, even. "What do you expect me to do? Abandon them for weeks on end? I don't think even _you_ would so inhumane, Summer."

"Argh!" She cried, then leant down over me menacingly. Her face was so close I could actually count her eyelashes. If I wanted to, that is. "Freddy," she said, her tone low but forced. "You are _not_ bringing your pets onto that ship, and that is final."

I stared back at her, determined to keep it cool. Finally, I gave a careless shrug. "Whatever," I said, grinning at her. "If you say so, Tink. Your word is law, after all."

She glared at me a second longer, but probably thought it wasn't worth the effort at the moment.

Which it wasn't, really.

But it would've been nice to have her support in at least _one_ thing in my near-future.

**Summer's P.O.V. **

Why are boys so stupid?

Seriously. I mean, I know the whole drill. Girls mature earlier, they grasp certain concepts easier, etc. etc.

But if Freddy thinks for one second that he can somehow hustle in a bulldog pup and a half-foot long chameleon into a cruise ship without alarming the authorities, then he's even thicker than I thought. Even _he_ can't get away with it.

I was still thinking about it after we decided it would be better to leave my Beetle and use Freddy's flame-red BMW instead. Or Mavis, as he and VeeVee named it when they'd taken it for a test drive. That had been when they were going out, and VeeVee was still pretty new to the band.

Freddy had told me he'd 'handle' the newcomer and give her a warm welcome. Needless to say, asking her out for drinks hadn't _quite_ been what I'd expected.

"Are you meditating again?" Freddy's voice burst into my thoughts once he'd smoothly slotted the car onto the busier streets in town.

"No," I said, flipping out my Blueberry from my pocket. I saw him out of the corner of my eye, glancing at me when I got it out.

"Then what? Why are you getting that thing out already? We're not playing for hours…"

I just shook my head, hoping he'd shut up. He has no idea about half the things on my daily agenda as band manager, and I'd long abandoned the expectation that he—or anyone, for that matter—would understand.

"You're not still mad about the pet thing, are you?" he asked, a smirk lounging easily on his mouth. "I'm not taking them, don't worry your genius little head over that…"

I rolled my eyes, but was a little pacified. We talked about the night's gig for the rest of the ride, hoping that there would be no 'incidents' as there sometimes was once we'd hit radio mainstream.

We got to the club in no time, parking at a space near Zack's moss-green Scorpio. Unlike Freddy, Zack had never gotten into the whole fixation with sleek sports cars that most boys seem to be genetically programmed with.

I hoped Tomika had already arrived. Despite what Freddy said earlier, I didn't really believe that Tomika wouldn't consider the lead position. I had to try a little harder, that was all.

I was in luck.

Once Freddy and I'd entered the dark-themed cavern of the club, (everything is in bleak shades of black and brown in there), we split ways almost instantly.

"Yo, Mooneyham! Seymour!" he shouted, like a barbarian, grinning maniacally at Zack and Andy, who were busy tuning at one end of the place. I smiled and waved back at Zack when he looked up and saw us, but then turned right around and spotted the band's backup singers right away.

"Hey," I said briskly once I'd reached their table. Tomika, Marta, and Alicia were running over their material in harmony, although they really didn't have to practice. Years of being together in a band have made them evolve together musically, and they rarely made mistakes.

"Hey, Summer," Tomika smiled, stopping to shift up so I could sit. I shook my head though. I needed to talk to her alone.

"Come with me to the bathroom, would you, Tomika?" I asked casually. I needn't have bothered. Apart from a wave from Alicia and a wink from Marta, neither girl had stopped singing, their eyes reverting right back to the material in their hands.

"Sure," Tomika said, getting up, "My throat feels like it's going anyway."

I led her into the small cubicles at another side of the still-empty club.

"What's up, Summer?" Tomika asked, walking over to the sink to retouch her fringe.

I went to stand beside her, looking at our dim reflections in the mirror. Next to her, (actually, next to any other girl in the band), I was dressed pretty conservatively.

Okay, fine. I was dressed like a pensioner.

Freddy always says I dress like one of those preppy girls at school we all hated. But I'm not a preppy. I just happen to like dressing neatly, comfortably and appear always businesslike.

"Listen," I started, deciding I'd cut to the chase. "Tomika, you remember what Dewey said yesterday, right? About the Blackaby thing?"

Her eyes shone with recognition. "Oh, of course! How could I forget? It's just too bad about you having to work with Freddy on that other thing…"

"Yeah, actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about…" My mouth felt kind of dry. I reached a hand to turn on the faucet, relieved to have the water gushing out. Now my voice wouldn't sound so hollow. "Freddy's got this crackpot idea that Katie can sing lead—"

"What!" Tomika practically shrieked, turning to face me. "Katie? As in, _our_ Katie? Katie can _sing_?"

I felt my confidence inflate. If Tomika reaction was anything to go by, her horror could probably help me out a bit here.

"Yeah, apparently," I said, nodding, "Anyway, I won't believe it until I see it. Or rather, hear it. But you know who I _know_ can sing? And is perfect for the part?"

"Who?"

"C'mon, Tomika." I said urgently. "Won't you do it?"

"WHAT?" She completely shrieked this time. She turned back once more to me, staring down at me. This is quite impressive, as anyone can attest once they've seen both her height and _my_ dwarf factor. "Summer, are you nuts? I can't be lead singer for the band!"

"Why?" I cried, "It's for the _band_! You've always said you'd do anything for the band while there's still breath in your body…"

"Yeah, while there's still _breath in my body_, Summer." She shook her head, turning back to the mirror. "Trust me, accepting the part will kill me. I can't do it."

"You won't even _try_?" I couldn't help it. I started raising my voice, and I could already feel the hotness on my neck.

"It's not that I won't even try, Summer. I'm just not going to, okay?" I turned back to the mirror at that, my heart feeling like lead. I met Tomika's eyes in our reflections, and I was surprised to see how serious she was. "Look," she said, "It's more complicated than that, Sum. I'm not brave like you, or glamorous like Marta, or hip like Alic—"

"SO?" I yelled, throwing my arms in the air. "You can sing like TOMIKA, and that blows the whole rest of us out of the water!"

She laughed. Actually laughed at such a critical time like this. "I'm just backup material, Summer."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You're not backup material. People are going to _love_ hearing your voice, Tomika…"

"Maybe," Tomika said, sobering up right away. She turned to me once again, but I continued watching her reflection instead. "They may love hearing me, Summer, but they're going to hate _seeing_ me. Trust me, Dewey's tried this before..."

I opened my mouth for a ready retaliation, then realized something. I realized at that moment that maybe, despite being practically the only friend I had…

Maybe I didn't really understand Tomika after all. Maybe what she was saying was all something I'd heard a million times, but never accepted to be true. I still don't believe it's true, but maybe under all that, I was missing the point.

What it was, I couldn't figure out. But why the hell did it have to be Freddy—of all people--who'd suggested it to me in the first place?

Because it looked like he was right. He'd warned me this would happen.

I stood still for a while, studying the seriousness in Tomika's face, realizing that the anger I felt at that moment wasn't directed at her. It was fully for Freddy.

How _dare_ he be right?

I couldn't—_I wouldn't_—accept it.

"Summer?" I heard her voice break in tentatively. "Summer, are you okay?"

"Yes," I said, my voice cracking slightly. "Band meeting on Friday for the trip. Pass it on, would you?"

And without another glance at her, I left the bathroom and was out the door.

Looking back now, I don't know why I couldn't so much as wish Tomika good luck for the gig or something. Heaven knows it was the most trivial of things, that gig.

Not when I know now what happened afterward.

The only thing I can actually remember about that night is Hunter.

And how he'd broken into our little band's peace of mind so suddenly…

So effortlessly…

Just in time.

**A/N**: I don't know why the ruler in this editing thing isn't working. Anyway...Yes! I finally got this chapter done. Ha that was fun writing, although it wasn't the ending I was planning to make. Hunter was actually supposed to make his entrance here already. Anyway, hope you like it, although the 'real' story's only about to start in a bit…

Oh, and I'm also sorry if these chapters are too long, I know some people prefer them to be more concise. I'll try to shorten things up next time...

_**Thanks everyone! And to those who've reviewed: **_

_**Nanners-77**-Ha ha thanx, it means a lot. Yeah, I do have a lot of P.O.V.s going around, I guess, but it isn't always going to be like that. Only an occasional switch from chapter to chapter. It's still Freddy and Summer's story, after all. Oh, and Freddy kisssed Katie just to shut her up. Haha. _

_**endymion015**-I love writing Freddy for some reason. Haha. I'm sure you have that feeling too! I've been wanting to get this chapter done for AGES. I'll chek out that story you talked about-The Lies They Tell Us, I think it was. I admit, I like the Zack-Katie thing now too, but I'm still not sure where Zack's heading in this story. I love his character too, kind of the lone-ranger thing going on. Haha. Hope you update soon!_

_**The Ponderer**-Hey Kuda. Thanks for reading this, it means a lot! Yeah, I admit, I've made a lot of errors in the first two chapters, but mostly because I was rushing things and couldn't reread them a third time as I usually do. And that thing with Lebanon being African-ugh. I'll fix it. VeeVee IS supposed to be Asian-African, but then at the last minute I switched her from Liberian to Lebanese, and I guess I forgot to go back and amend that. I will soon. Thanks SO much, your reviews are always so heartening. _

**_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original School of Rock people, (yet). But I do own Andy Seymour and Vee-Vee Qing-Khan. _**


	5. Hunter

**Rock with me, Roll with me**

**.:FOUR:.**

Hunter

**Zack's P.O.V. **

"_I don't have plans and schemes._

_I don't have hopes and dreams. _

_I don't have anything, _

_Since I don't have you…"_

The basement studio filled with unadulterated music as I jolted my guitar into the guitar chorus of the song. The cement walls of our basement reverberated with voltage that would doubtless bring either or both of my parents down in another minute. But I didn't think about that now.

I didn't think of anything.

Well, I did think of something, and that was purely this casual rendition of one of the best Guns and Roses songs of all time. Usually I avoided coming down here, for fear of being tempted to actually use the studio my dad built—albeit grudgingly—a few weeks after he discovered I had a knack for guitar.

The thing was, getting me a studio to practice in wasn't exactly the same as appreciating my actually using it. Particularly when I used to find songwriting more stimulating than high school assignments and would sneak down to plug up and play.

Freddy offered me half of his penthouse apartment when he first got it last year, but I'd declined. As much as I would have liked to, I knew my dad would find some way to dominate my life at Freddy's place too. I told Freddy I'd wait until university. Meaning, of course, that these gap years would mostly be spent in my father's house.

I felt beads of sweat forming on my temples, and I realized I'd slacked off on strumming. I let the guitar fall, bound still however by the strap around me, and I lifted the back of my hand to wipe the moisture off my forehead.

Either I'd been extremely intent to Axl Rose's lyrics, or the mere thought of my dad had literally worked up a sweat.

"Well, don't stop now," said a familiar voice, and I swiveled around quickly.

"Hey, VeeVee," I said, grinning at her as she burst into solitary applause from her seat on the steps. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," she sang, before jumping off the last couple of steps in a whirl of color. She had on a large paint-splattered overcoat, with a tie-died shirt and poodle skirt underneath. Long black stockings rose up to her knees from orange pumps, while her short pink hair glistened at every turn.

"What are you supposed to be?" I asked, knowing that that would receive a better answer than asking VeeVee why she dressed a certain way.

"Lovely," she said, smiling wide as she came up and plopped herself onto the nearest armchair, dragging a nearby acoustic guitar onto her lap once she was settled. "I couldn't decide between 1950s housewife and 1960s flower child," she explained, her long fingers strumming the chords lightly.

I shook my head, smiling ruefully. "You were born in the wrong age, my friend," I said, then cradled my guitar up again. "Wanna play?"

"No Guns and Roses," she said, wrinkling up her nose. I laughed. She loved the music, but couldn't abide the rock legends who "look like they reeked trouble". "Ooh, I know. Let's do Alannis, please."

I shrugged, not minding either way. "Fine," I said, knowing which song she wanted. "Miss Alannis, it is."

For the next fifteen minutes, we jumped from one Alannis Morrisette hit to another, all of VeeVee's favorites. It was amazing having someone like VeeVee in the band; she had such musical diversity and creativity that there was rarely a session wasted since she'd arrived. Something, I noted in my head with amusement, that Summer Hathaway never let us forget, since it was she who'd found VeeVee in the first place.

"You and Freddy taking care of the instruments?" she asked me once we were done playing and she was helping me pack up. "For the trip, I mean?"

I froze for a second, but slowly proceeded in zipping up the acoustic guitar in its leather case. "Oh, right," I said, not looking up.

"Didn't Summer run you two by that already?" VeeVee asked, looking up with her eyebrows furrowed.

I nodded reluctantly, "Yeah," I said, "I'm sure Freddy's got it under control, he said…he said he would when I talked to him yesterday."

She nodded, smoothing the edges of her skirt as she skipped off the chair. "Good, good," she said, grinning. "I'm pretty excited, actually. I've never been abroad before."

I smiled back, suggesting toward the door. "You walking with me to Ned's?"

Summer had called each of the band members personally the night before to go over the traveling details for the trip, saying we'd meet at Ned Shneebly's place.

She'd also said something about a surprise but that we'd only learn of it once we'd all congregated there.

I followed VeeVee out of the basement studio, up into the kitchens, then out onto the front hallway of the house. I held my breath as our footsteps rang hollow in the wide arc of the hallway, pretending to listen to VeeVee as she talked about her mother's new art project.

I had just placed my hand on the cool brass doorknob of the front door when, unfortunately, all my hopes died in the next half second.

"Zack!"

I grimaced, looking at the fine sheen of the front doors. Bracing myself, I let go of freedom and turned away with a smile.

"Where do you think you're going without saying goodbye?" my father asked as he came sweeping down the staircase with a huge grin on his face. "Hello, VeeVee, how are you?"

"Hey, Mr. Mooneyham," VeeVee replied, smiling brightly as she spun around to face him. "We were just heading for Ned Shneebley's apartment…"

"Yeah, we were just going now, actually…" I cut in, my heart thudding lightly against my ribs as my dad neared us.

"You guys need one of the cars?" he inquired, strapping on a gold Rolex on his left wrist as he spoke. "Peterson will be driving me all day today though, so don't take the Jag, okay, Zack?"

"I think we'll walk," I said, gritting my teeth more out of frustration than annoyance. "Let's go Vee."

"Bye, Mr. Mooneyham," she said brightly, waving a heavily ringed hand at him.

"Off to make more noise, I presume?" I heard him go on. Hurriedly I turned the knob and swung the door wide open.

VeeVee laughed, stopping once again. "Oh, no, not today. It's for that meeting for the…"

"Bye dad!" I said loudly as I grabbed VeeVee by the elbow and dragged her quickly outside before she could say anything else. Shutting the door behind me with a satisfying thud, I turned around with a deep exhale.

"Come on," I said after a few seconds, walking quickly out of the porch and onto the stone pathway toward the gates. After a few feet, I heard VeeVee hurrying up to catch up to me.

"Zack," I heard her say, not questioningly. I ignored her for now, increasing the pace so we were out of the grounds and onto the main deserted roads in a minute.

"Zack," she said again, more forced this time. "What's going on?"

"Just don't wanna be late," I lied, turning to face her with a forced smile. "You know how Summer is with latecomers."

"And you know how I am with liars," she replied. I _felt_ those almond-shaped eyes of hers narrow at me as we continued walking. "Zack, what's going on? Why were you being especially rude to your dad today, huh?"

"I told you, it's…"

"And then when I mentioned the meeting, you just…"

VeeVee stopped dead, and I carried on walking for a foot or two before I sighed, stopping too.

"Vee," I said in a tired voice, not turning around.

I didn't have to.

I heard her thunder up toward me and stop dead right in front of me. Let me tell you, VeeVee may be the shortest chick in the band, but she can kick ass like no one's business. Even Freddy stays clear of what he calls VeeVee's Crouching Dragon skit.

"Zack Mooneyham," she said, eyes narrowed as she stared straight up at me, "Do _not_ tell me that you haven't told your father about this trip yet."

I looked down at her, only slightly amused at how the red creeping onto her face contrasted still with the pink of her hair. "Okay, I won't," I said simply, smiling.

VeeVee stared at me for a second longer, before letting out a whoosh of air in defeat. We started walking without a word, until she burst forth once again.

"Zack, why can't you just _talk_ with your dad? What is so wrong with telling him that you want to do music?"

"Because," I said patiently, for the fiftieth time. "You don't know my dad. Saying you want to do music for life is like…is like…" I trailed off miserably, then shook my head sadly, "I can't even think of any comparison. It just doesn't do."

"So are you coming or not?" she asked, her voice softening as it always did after two lightning seconds of those outbursts. "To the trip, I mean. You know we can't do without you. Not to mention Summer will hound your ass for it."

I grimaced at the thought, nodding my head in agreement. "I know, I know," I said, "I _am_ coming. There's nothing about that."

"So how are you going to tell your dad you're going to be gone for two weeks?"

I shrugged. "I'll think of something," I said, hoping I sounded convincingly enough. A nonchalant smile, a careless swagger…there was nothing to it.

Or at least, that's what Freddy is always trying to coach me.

"Well I hope so," VeeVee replied softly. We lapsed into compatible silence as we made it to the building in which Ned lived. We stopped at the door, and VeeVee turned to me. "Well, if you need anything," she said, smiling, "you know we'll help you out with anything."

I smiled back, "I know. Thanks." Then, I swung my arm around her shoulders and we made for the front door.

"Hey Zack."

We both froze, then slowly turned around.

"Hey," VeeVee said brightly, then nudged me hard in the ribs.

"Marta," I said quickly. Too quickly. "Hey, Marta," I rectified myself, smiling stiffly. "How's it going?"

"Tiring," she said as she smacked the heels of her boots together to let loose the snow. "I was up until one last night going over the song lists Summer asked us to do…"

She has the nicest shade of blonde hair I'd ever seen. It was curlier and yet, somehow, better maintained perhaps than when we'd all been in Horace Green. Suddenly I felt another hard nudge at my ribs, and I whipped to face VeeVee.

"What?" I hissed as quiet as possible, staring back at her glare.

"Marta was asking if Summer asked you and Freddy to do anything?" VeeVee said calmly, turning back to smile at Marta.

"Oh," I said, stupidly. I turned back to face Marta. My mind was at a blank. "Well…actually…"

"You guys catch up, okay?" VeeVee suddenly burst out. "It's still early. See you upstairs later…" Then, with the softest nudge at my elbow that I thought I'd imagined it, she went inside the building through the door and out of sight.

"Vee…" I called too late, panicking. I turned back to face Marta, who was smiling at me like almost angelically, no clue whatsoever at the nothingness that was inside my head at the moment.

"She's funny," Marta said softly, throwing her head back as she laughed. "Very friendly."

I nodded, swallowing. I fiddled slightly with my jacket, wondering why it was so warm. "Yeah, she is," I managed finally. "Talented, too."

"We all are," Marta said warmly, her blue eyes fixed on me with something akin to amusement. "Especially you, Zack. But you already know that."

"Uh…" I said brightly. "Well, no, really, I just…"

"HEY, GUYS!"

I swiveled around to see Freddy striding up the cement sidewalk like he owned the place. I'd never been more glad to see my best friend than right then and there. "Hey, Freddy," I said, extending an arm out for a five.

"How's my main man and our lovely backup?" he beamed, his eyes glinting as he stepped forward to kiss Marta on the cheek. For a second, I regretted him ever appearing, but the feeling died almost instantly.

Freddy was always most comfortable with pretty girls.

His virtue. Not mine.

"Well, has Summer changed the venue, or can we actually go inside?" he asked, laughing. I smiled back forcedly, half-relieved to nod my head in assent.

"Sure," I said, "Let's go up, I'm sure Summer's there already."

"Yeah, I bet she is," Marta chimed in, grinning as we let her pass first. "At least we're not late. She'll eat us alive if we were."

"Truer words were never spoken," Freddy boomed out as we filed up on the narrow staircase. "The earlier you arrive at one of Ms. Hathaway's meetings, the longer time you get for her to thaw out."

Marta laughed as we reached the second floor landing where Ned lived. "Freddy, you should just leave Sum alone, you're so mean."

I didn't really know how to describe how I felt right then. Marta's laughs rang crystal clear through the halls, her words pouring easy from her mouth as she spoke to Freddy and he to her.

Why doesn't that ever happen with me?

Or is it just Freddy who has that particular charm that the girls are always raving about?

I was relieved once we'd gotten inside our former official School of Rock Headquarters. Ned still kept the beginners' places and the numbers were growing every year, but we'd long since moved out when we'd gotten amazing deals.

We still came here to chill out sometimes though. After all, Dewey lived here too.

"HELLO, WORLD," Freddy yelled out to everyone already there. I looked around, grinning and waving to our band mates, and quickly realized that one important person hadn't yet arrived.

"Hey," Freddy said after a while, his eyebrows furrowing with confusion. "Where's the sorceress herself?"

"Not here yet," VeeVee replied from somewhere in the other side of the room.

"Settle down guys," Ned Shneebly came in, his kind face breaking into a grin as he saw us. "She'll be here soon, she just called. She says I have to make you all sit around in an orderly fashion…"

Next to me, I heard Billy snort. "Right," he was whispering to Michelle, "Like there's such a thing called orderly fashion."

"How you doing, Ned?" I went over to him and he slapped me on the back fatherly. "Dewey coming along?"

"Hey Zack," he said grinning, "I'm not sure, he might. I think he's taking Rosalie to the doctor's today. It might be for a sonogram screening, who knows?"

I shook my head, grinning. It was still hard to believe that our crazy ex-teacher was actually going to be a dad.

We all chilled for the time being, knowing that there was no one but Summer Hathaway who could preside over the band quite like her when it came to these matters. Not to mention, no one cared as much about details. I chatted with Andy a bit on a new keyboard system we'd been planning on getting for the band, on account of trying to get more of his ska vibe into our new music.

But we didn't get too detailed, because around twenty minutes later, the front door swung wide open with a deafening crash, and in walked Summer Hathaway herself.

"Hey guys" she said loudly, tearing a wool scarf away from around her neck as she strode in purposefully. "I'm so sorry I'm late, but…"

"Are you kidding?" Freddy said with a smirk, "We're actually here before you. We're freaking making history here…"

"Ha ha," Summer smirked back, before turning her attention to all of us. "Listen, I have a little surprise I hope you guys will like…"

"Tell us we're going first class to London!" Alicia shouted from the back, making Gordon laugh beside her.

"That's a given," Summer said, smiling smugly.

"Tell us we're getting _some_ help with the outfits," Billy chimed in desperately. We all laughed because he looked so distraught. "What are you people laughing about? It is _imperative_ that we make an impression the right way!"

"Uh…" Summer said, blinking, "Right. Billy, I'll speak to you about that…much later. Listen, guys," she said, shaking her head slightly before focusing on us once again. "The bottom line is we need a replacement for Dewey, and he's been a great lead singer…"

"Yeah, yeah!" Freddy hooted, and the rest of us laughed in agreement.

"But the task isn't completely impossible," Summer said nervously. I could tell she was nervous because she was shifting her weight rapidly from one foot to the other, and waving her left wrist around as she spoke. I tried not to smile at that, the idea of Summer Hathaway being nervous, but Freddy had told me the tell-tale gesture, and we'd never been able to keep a straight face in the rare occasions it came up.

"Guys," Summer was saying, and I actually started to listen up. "I'd like you all to meet someone really, really…something…"

And then I saw a series of things go through the room in Ned's apartment in the few seconds before we met him. Like how everyone somehow faced toward the door simultaneously with almost identical expressions of intrigue and surprise.

Or how Summer looked almost guiltily toward Freddy's direction before turning back to smile at whoever was at the door.

Or how Freddy's jaw had dropped slightly open with Summer's last words, then closed back shut with a slight clench of anger as a tall, lanky redheaded guy came striding into our ex-headquarters…

And into our lives.

**

* * *

Summer's P.O.V. **

Honestly, when I'd arrived at the gig that night, the only thing on my mind had been trying to convince Tomika into substituting for Dewey. And to prove Freddy wrong, of course. But as soon as Tomika had started shaking her before I'd even really started, I knew deep inside that it was a lost cause.

I'd gone through the rest of the gig wandering aimlessly back and forth between backstage and the lounges, half-heartedly satisfied that we were, once again, a hit. I tried not to let my eyes stray too much onto the band itself, because every time I did, it seemed like Tomika's presence with the other backups made Freddy's grin so much harder to bear.

The first time I made the mistake of doing so, Freddy had peered over the cymbals and sent me a well-known smirk, waggling his eyebrows knowingly. I'd rolled my eyes, suppressing the urge to get right up there on stage with them and crash those cymbals against his head.

Instead, I went further through the audience seated on chintz couches, and settled myself onto one of the stools at the bar.

I looked around for the bartender, then was slightly annoyed that I couldn't see him or her anywhere.

"What on earth…" I threw up my hands, exasperated. "This is the last time I'm booking my band here!"

"Wait a sec," said a voice out of nowhere, and the stool beside me was suddenly occupied by a cute guy with copper-red hair. He had mischievous green eyes which twinkled now as he took in my surprise, double studs through his left eyebrow, and one of the most amazing smiles I'd ever seen.

"Did I hear you say that this is your band playing?" he asked in a deep, throaty voice.

"Yes," I said coldly after a pause. As a rule, it was my job as manager to handle potential business associates or affiliates, statistics, and overzealous fans, of which this guy could have very well been one.

"This is your band," he repeated, his grin growing wider as his eyes scanned briefly back to Zack and them before turning to me again. "So how come you're not in it?"

I bristled somewhat at that. "As a matter of fact, I am band manager." I stressed slightly on the _manager_ bit. It was satisfying to see his pierced eyebrows go up at that. He grinned still, and suddenly I found my own forced smile twitch into an actual one.

"Well, well," he said, extending a hand to me over the countertop, "It's lovely to meet you, Miss Hathaway."

My hand froze in his. "How do you know my name?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

He burst into laughter, "Because everyone in town and beyond knows the School of Rock and its infamously…er, _stringent_ child manager." He smiled easily as he went on. "I've been a fan for awhile now. That guy Dewey's got quite a voice on him."

"Yeah, he does," I responded, sitting up straighter proudly. "And yes, I'm the same manager. Although I'm not a child anymore."

His eyes crinkled humorously as his eyes held mine, "Yes I can certainly see that."

I felt the heat rise to my throat, and I turned away. "Where the hell is the bartender anyway?" I said aloud, making sure to look at the other side of the bar.

"Oh, him," I heard the guy laugh his throaty laugh, and I turned around just in time to see him get off his stool and, in one swift move, hop onto the bar counter and jump over onto the other side. He brushed himself off lightly, grinning sheepishly as he stood, facing me. "My apologies, Miss Hathaway."

I stared, astounded. Then a small smile started tugging at the corners of my mouth, and I found myself smiling back at this…weirdo.

A cute one, though.

"So name your poison, it's on the house tonight."

I snorted. "Yeah it better be," I said, but smiled. "A martini is fine for now."

I saw him raise an eyebrow at that, but I added with a nod, "Yeah, just the one, thanks. I have a band to tend to."

I watched him pour me a drink with extra flourish, watching the way the lean muscles of his forearms flex slightly as he worked. He set it down in front of me. "So how come Dewey's not up there tonight?"

I took a cautious sip. I didn't usually drink, but that night's failure with Tomika called for a favor. "Oh well," I said, swallowing with almost a choke. Thank God I was only having one drink. "Yeah, he's going to be…preoccupied with other ventures in his life right now, so he won't be singing for a while with the band."

I expected him to question me further, or at least to offer sympathies or something, but it wasn't really the case.

I looked up at his silence, only to find him with a dazed kind of grin on his face. "What?" I asked defensively.

"It's just…" he said, leaning against a fluorescent-lighted strip of wall with his arms crossed. "Do you always talk like that?"

"_What?_" I sat up straighter, bristling.

"Don't get me wrong," he drawled with a grin. "It's…different from most people. In a good way."

I stared at him for a full two seconds before I narrowed my eyes. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

Now _that_ was satisfying, the half-choke, half-laugh that burst forth from him. "Uh…I didn't realize…" he laughed, before stepping forward, "I didn't realize I was…trying to…"

I glared at him, but let it slide. "Anyway, Dewey's not going to be with us for a while."

"Really," he said, looking surprised. "So that girl's his replacement?"

I didn't turn around to look at the band before answering. "No, not quite," I said, taking another deep sip. "That's VeeVee, she's our sub for almost everything."

"Oh, I see," I heard him murmur. "Nice hair." I smiled, shaking my head. "Who's on bass again? I always forget her name. She's cute though."

I laughed dryly. "Katie. She's been bass forever, but she…"

Suddenly I stopped, realizing I'd almost said Katie might be lead someday. That wasn't true at all. I shook my head at my drink, pinning the blame on it instead.

"Anyway, forget asking her out," I said, then looked up almost right away. "Actually, Freddy wouldn't mind."

"Oh, drummer boy," he said, and I was surprised at the almost derogatory tone in his voice. "He plays a mean beat on that set though…"

I didn't say anything. I was still in a sour mood toward Freddy myself.

"So if the girl with the pink-hair isn't permanent," he was saying, "then…who is?"

I drained the last of my drink, trying not to let it all come back up. "Don't know yet," I announced, getting off the stool. "I'm working on it."

"Really," he said, grinning, "How's that working out?"

"It's not," I admitted dryly, hitching up my satchel from the counter. "But I'll figure it out in the end."

"Here," he said, then pulled out a bright blue flyer from below the counters. "I think you might find something here."

I looked down at the flyer, reading its contents about some music classes at the Rhinestone mall near Freddy's apartment complex. It said it met up three times a week, including the very next day.

I gave him a questioning look.

"Just give it a chance," he said, smiling his easy smile. "There's a lot of talent out there, Miss Hathaway." I smiled back, touched that he was trying to help me out a little. Heaven knows it was more than anyone else was giving me at the moment.

"Thanks…uh…."

"Hunter." He grinned widely, bowing his head down slightly, making the red curls of his head turn pink in the overhead lights.

"Thanks, Hunter," I said, smiling genuinely. "I'll check this place out tomorrow."

Then I'd turned around and left before I could think of anything else to say. Although Hunter had made me feel a bit better about the situation at hand, I didn't _really_ think of going to Rhinestone the next day.

But I did.

This morning, I'd driven over to the mall, trying to shove down a pang of guilt as I passed by Freddy's place. After all, he and I _were_ supposed to be working together. But at the sight of Katie's car parked in front of the building, I knew that Dewey had been wrong in making us do this.

When I got to Rhinestone, I made a beeline for one of the two major record stores, Turtlejam, where Hunter's flyer had said.

Before I even stepped foot through the door, I heard the first few strains of amazing acoustics. I may not be able to carry a tune, but I certainly have an ear, thanks to Dewey's efforts in 'educating' us all those years ago.

I knew what I was hearing was great stuff, even by the standards of someone like Zack.

And that was probably the only reason why, when I saw Hunter sitting in the midst of around ten eight-year olds with a guitar in his hands, I knew that I'd solved our problem.

I stopped short at the door, half-hoping that whatever I was hearing would never stop. Hunter was singing some song I don't think I'd ever heard, or even if I did, I knew I would've still thought it was brand new or something. Hunter didn't have a voice…

He had an _amazing_ voice.

I stood, speechless, my heart thrumming with excitement when I took in the chances that I could hear something like this live. Hunter had his eyes closed, his lean body in sync with the music he was strumming.

And when he was finally done singing, he saw me standing there with what was probably the dumbest expression on my face.

"Hey!" he said loudly, grinning. He motioned for the kids to start on some page of their booklets, and he came over to me right away. "Hey," he said again softly, "I'm glad you came. I…"

"You want go to London with me?" I blurted out, my heart pounding.

He froze, his mouth set in an 'o' from whatever he'd been saying before I rudely interrupted. "I…what?"

"Well, not exactly with _me_," I said quickly, "I mean, with the band. 'Cuz the band's heading for London in a week…for this thing called the Blackaby…"

"Shut up," Hunter said, his eyes growing wide at my suggestions. "Are you…are you serious?"

"Never been more so," I said, my breath catching fast. "It's just…we could kinda use someone like you...for help since we've…" I rapidly debated telling him I wanted him to be lead, but decided I shouldn't hold any promises just yet.

Not with Freddy and his Katie tangent.

"I…" Hunter was saying, looking more and more amused as the seconds passed. "I don't really…know what to say, Summer."

"Just say yes," I urged, my fingers itching to type out a contract right then and there. But one step at a time. "You wouldn't have to pay a cent, it's all taken care of, we're pretty…" I swallowed my words. I was going to say that we were pretty loaded, but decided I didn't want to come across like a total bossy showoff.

Because I'm neither.

"And the rest of the band is aware of this?" Hunter asked skeptically.

"I…" I stammered, "Well, not really, just yet, because I only heard you right now myself." I added quickly, "But they'll love you! We're a…we're a really close-knit family…"

He laughed, holding up both his hands. "Alright, alright, I'll come if it's okay with everyone."

"Okay." I said, exhaling wondrously. I couldn't believe it I'd done it.

Well, actually, I _really_ couldn't believe I'd done it, once I was standing smack in the middle of Ned's living room, Hunter behind me with his amiable expression and the whole gang staring at us.

"What?" I heard Marta whisper to someone.

"Who's that?" I heard Alicia whisper to someone else.

"Everyone," I said, trying to compensate for my nervousness with a wider grin. "This is Hunter."

"Hunter who?" Freddy said coldly. I turned to him, my eyes narrowing at his tone.

"Just Hunter," Hunter said with a grin before I could counter back. "I have to say, it's great finally meeting you all…"

I looked back to the others, hoping someone would bite. I needn't have worried. I should have known _someone_ would have warmed up to Hunter to get the others going too.

"It's a _pleasure_," Billy purred from nowhere, and I saw him nudge the girls out of the way before he came sashaying (I swear, sashaying) up to us. Or rather, Hunter. "I'm Billy, and I'm in charge of making sure the band doesn't look totally yesterday." He gave a little laugh as he held Hunter's hand. Maybe he held it a little longer than was usual in a handshake, but I wasn't going to be picky just then.

"Yes, Summer's told me loads about all of you," Hunter said with a charming smile, and I felt my eyebrows rise. I so had _not_ mentioned the band to Hunter that I wondered if he was being subtly sarcastic. "I've been a fan for quite a while."

"Really?" Tomika asked, shifting forward from the couch.

"So you can really sing?" Marta piped up, sweeping her blonde hair back over one shoulder.

"A bit, yeah," Hunter said, grinning.

I snorted lightly, then spoke up. "He sings more than a bit. And plays guitar too, don't you, Hunter?"

In a matter of seconds Hunter had gotten himself deep in the midst of my bandmates, all of them wanting to know what else he could do and what he'd heard about us so far.

Okay, correction.

All my bandmates except, surprise surprise, Freddy.

I saw him send a filthy glance at Hunter, who had no clue thank heavens, before stalking into the kitchen, the door swinging shut behind him. Taking a deep, brave breath, I went in after him.

He looked up from the coffee machine, but when he saw me he turned right back and poured himself a cup.

"Freddy," I started, recurring the dialogie I'd already planned out in my head. "Now, I know what you're thinking..."

"I doubt that," he said in a low voice, and I stepped closer to him.

"What's so wrong with Hunter? You don't even _know_ him…"

"I don't like him," Freddy replied, his mouth set stubbornly.

I rolled my eyes. "Wow, shocker. What, are we in fifth grade or something, Freddy? You don't _like_ him? Like I said, you don't even know him yet. So what's going on?"

"I thought I told you about Katie," he said, raising his eyebrows warningly.

"And I'm telling you now about Hunter," I said calmly.

"Still," Freddy said, taking a sip from his coffee which I doubt he was tasting. "You can't just let him replace Dewey like that…"

"This doesn't mean that he's it," I reasoned, although it wasn't really genuine. "I mean…we're supposed to work together…you and I…" I trailed off, knowing the weight of my words was something neither of us could really understand yet. "But Hunter is…amazing. Freddy, he's got an _amazing_ voice, if you'd just give him one chance. He's…"

"He's a stranger, Summer!" Freddy said loudly, waving the mug around wildly. A few drops of coffee splattered onto the tiled floor near my feet, but neither of looked away from each other. "How can you just bring someone in like that? Without so much as a warning…"

"What?" I shook my head, confused. "What…_warning_? Why do you need a warning? It's not like you dropping the bomb on me about Katie was nice and easy, either! Nothing's set in stone, Freddy, I just brought him over to…"

To what?

My brain fevered down, and I realized that Freddy had a point. Why had I brought Hunter over before I'd even told them I was still looking for a lead? Not to mention I'd already had it in my own head that Hunter could very well be the one? Without Freddy's help, I might add.

Was I trying to prove a point? And if so, what on earth was it?

"Just tell me one thing, Summer," Freddy said, his tone hardening slightly as he set the mug down near the machine. "Is that guy coming to London?"

I turned away from his gaze, focusing instead on the linoleum of the floor.

"Yes," I said quietly. "Actually, I've already…gotten an extra ticket…"

I stopped short, and I heard Freddy make a low strangled sound from his neck.

"Summer," I heard him say in a low, controlled voice. "Do _not_ let that guy come to London with us."

Anger burned in my throat, swallowing any words I could have retorted with. My eyes were still set on the floor of Ned's kitchen when Freddy walked right past me and out the door.

**_

* * *

So sorry it's taken me ages to update. It's our one week off, (before Christmas!) and I'm using this time to write this out. I'm so sorry I don't have time to thank eveyrone individually, but I am SO GRATEFUL to those who've reviewed, it means a lot to know that people actually read this haha. Hope you liked it. It'll get better as it goes along :D _**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original School of Rock people. But I do own Andy Seymour and Vee-Vee Qing-Khan, and now, Hunter. _**


	6. Alert

**Rock with me, Roll with me**

**.:FIVE:.**

Alert

**Summer's P.O.V. **

Let me tell you something about being a manager.

It's _fabulous_.

You get to boss people around _and_ get paid to do it. Okay, true, I didn't earn so much as a nickel when Dewey first got us going, but now we're at a totally different level.

But I guess more than anything, it's the amount of power you get, not only over the people you manage, but even factors apart from them. With the band, it's obviously the many little factions of people who grovel for us; reporters, club owners, concert managers etc. etc.

Of course, there are also the less glamorous sides to being band manager. Such as, oh, fighting tooth and nail to _protect_ the reputations of members of said bands _from_ said reporters, club owners, concert managers etc. etc. An example?

_Exhibit A. _

It was only nine in the morning, and I was making do with my hurried schedule on checking up on everyone before we all set out for the road trip to the Port. It was hard to believe, but up until now, everything had gone more smoothly than any other band event I could remember.

Was I scared?

You bet.

Still, I felt I'd be able to ward off any potential disaster at least at Ned's apartment, where everyone would meet up in two hours, according to schedule.

The thing with schedules, however, is that they have a way of being utterly totaled in a matter of seconds.

I had just finished calling on the third last member of the band—Tomika—and was just about to head to my car with a steaming cup of coffee from a small mall, when my cell phone rang for the fifteenth time that day. I settled my mug in one hand, and dug out my phone from the pocket of my capris, and nearly groaned when I saw caller ID.

_Freddy Jones Calling_

_Accept? Decline? _

There'd been a reason why I'd left him and Zack for last, and it was totally because I expected them to be together with the musical instruments at Freddy's.

And also because I expected Zack to keep me sane during my visit.

Clearly, that was not to be.

I flipped the phone open and nested it next to my ear, walking quickly and juggling both my coffee and my Gucci carry-bag.

"What do you want?"

"Geez, Tink," Freddy's voice oozed through the line with unconcealed mirth. "Relax, would ya, we're going on holiday today!"

"It's not a _holiday_, Freddy," I rolled my eyes as I took a sip from my coffee, and nearly spit it out. It was—duh—scalding hot, and I nearly gagged out of trying to stick my tongue out to let the air cool it.

"Yeah, kay," Freddy replied listlessly, then went on with a slightly more hurried tone. "Hey, listen, you know…you know what an amazing person you are right, I mean, you're like…"

My mind screamed Freddy Alert, and I mentally checked if I had enough in my purse for bail money.

Just in case.

"What is it?"

"Okay," Freddy replied abruptly, dropping the act. "You remember Celia, right, Sum?" Freddy chuckled very fishy-like, and my eyes narrowed automatically. I had to stop, though, when a balding man passed by me in a hurry, looking terrified at my expression.

I had never heard of this girl in my life.

"Oh, god, Freddy," I murmured, daring to take another sip as I finally saw the front end of my car. "Where are you?"

"At the Blakeside Mall…she's in some lingerie store, and I told her I needed to step out for a smoke…" I heard him chuckle a bit before adding, "She hates it."

"Oh, I see, you nabbed a smart one this time," I said dryly, but then nearly stopped when I fired back, "Wait, did you say Blakeside?" I stopped, then looked back about fifteen stores. True enough, I saw a tall, lean blonde puffing away on a cigarette with a cell phone, eyeing a couple of girls as he spoke.

"Yeah, why?"

"'Cuz I'm like three meters away from you, you moron," I hissed. "I must have passed by the store like two minutes ago." I saw him turn and spot me. I might have waved back in recognition if it wasn't for the smartass smirk that I could still see from my place.

"Please, Sum, save me," he said on the line, and I saw him point exaggeratedly towards the store.

"Fine," I said, taking a deep, aggravated breath to think clearly which, with Freddy, was a miracle in itself. I turned around and made my way even faster toward my car. "Okay, Freddy, what color does she hate?"

"_What?_"

I nearly swore as I practically dumped my coffee in the coffee holder on the dashboard, and three large caramel drops splattered on my leather seats. "Oh you're going to die, Jones," I said to myself.

"_What?_"

"WHAT COLOR, FREDDY?" I yelled into the phone as I hurried to the back where the trunk was and swung it wide open. Still cradling the phone under my ear, I took my keychain out and flipped through five little numbers before I found the one for my first luggage piece.

"Uh…Pink," I heard Freddy answer in confusion. "No, wait, I think she said it was purple…No, no it was pink, definitely…I remember she said she couldn't stand Hello Kitty…"

I opened up the small suitcase and ignored the stunned looks of passersby. I flipped methodically through the articles of clothing I'd packed in color-code the night before. I found what I needed almost instantly.

"Okay, call her out NOW," I said, and snapped the luggage closed, before swinging the trunk closed too.

"Thanks a mil. See you soon, love," he said cheekily before I grabbed the phone from its place and snapped it shut. I started walking back rapidly, my eyes set on the scene ahead as I jammed my phone back in my pocket. I could see Freddy motioning for someone to come on out, stubbing the cigarette out under his foot as he grinned.

_Why_ couldn't he just keep that grin to _himself_? Heaven knows how many girls he's trapped—yes, TRAPPED—with that foolish grin, and heaven knows how many times I've had to bail him out when he's had enough.

As band manager, it was, unfortunately, also my duty to make sure none of Freddy's despicable relationships ended up in the press as something that would damage the band's reputation.

Mostly, though, I just wanted to set free those sad, sad girls. Honestly. Consider it doing them—not Freddy—a favor.

I reached up and took out my hair scrunchie, letting my hair out and roughly shaping it up into a cloud of mess that would—hopefully?--reek '_skanky bedmate_'.

As if on cue, I saw Celia come out from the store—all smiles with shopping bags galore—and I nearly seethed out of pure irritation. She was another prime example of Freddy's clichés—

A knockout in Ferragamo heels.

I saw her trot over to Freddy, who like a pro didn't blink once at my direction, (wait, he IS a pro—after all, how many 'rehearsals' has he dragged me into??), and instead snaked a hand to her waist as she tiptoed up to kiss him.

Cue me.

"_Freddy Jones_," I said loudly, walking up to them in purposeful strides.

The pair broke up and looked at my direction. I saw the slightest glimmer of amusement in Freddy's eyes, but chose to ignore it.

"Oh my god," he said aloud for Celia's benefit, pretending to look aghast.

Celia looked from me to him, then back again with doe eyes that told me she had no idea what was coming.

"Freddy Jones," I said again, and came to a dead stop right in front of him. I stared up at him full-on, willing myself to get riled up just because of the way the light hit his blonde hair and gray eyes, making him look so innocent when I knew so, so much better.

"May I help you, miss?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh I like that," I pretended to seethe, "How _dare_ you, you…you…low-life cad! How _dare_ you just…_discard_ me like a rag doll after last night—"

I read the warning look in his eyes, and quickly amended, "I mean…the night before or…or…I don't know! All I know is everything's been a complete _haze_ since…since…" I pretended to back down, let my voice soften as I clasped a hand to the back of his neck and stepped in closer to him.

I have to admit, Freddy Jones has got the whole cologne thing going down pat for him. I got a little dizzy just _smelling_ him.

I know. Thank God I was immune to anything else.

But it was then that Celia spoke up, sounding rightfully indignant.

"Excuse me, but who the hell are you?"

The good thing about being manager is that people recognize the people on the band, not so much the members who aren't on stage. Such as me. Or the tech. guys. Hence Bambi here hadn't so much as a clue as to the fact that Freddy and I had been at each other's throats since elementary.

I willed my eyes to turn away from Freddy's smirking ones—I tell you, his _eyes_ were smirking at me!—and give Celia a withering look. She really was pretty though, her blonde hair a soft tone that matched the green in her now-angry eyes. I almost felt sorry for her.

I pretended to take her in with growing shock, before whipping right back around and slapping Freddy on the cheek.

Now _that_ was satisfying.

"Hey!" he objected with genuine protest, but I didn't let him continue.

"So this is how you replace me?" I pretended to wail angrily, then fumbled with the pocket of my petticoat. "Well here," I said in a thickened voice. "Let me save you the trouble of having to replace _this_!"

And with that, I turned to Celia and thrust one of my newest bras directly onto her chest, so that she had to drop all the shopping bags she'd been holding and catch it in time.

"You wait, Freddy Jones…" I said dramatically, my chest heaving with fake resolution, "Just you wait…" And with that, I made an even more dramatic exit back. The thing with heels is that they're pretty nifty for sudden pivoting.

Well, that's at least one thing I've come to learn from Freddy's escapades.

I didn't turn my back to see the last embers of his latest flame flicker out and die.

Well, I could hear it.

"Celia, dearest, I can explain every—"

"Freddy," Celia cut him off with venom in her otherwise sweet voice, "These. Are. NOT. MINE!"

"What? But…but…"

"They're _pink!_"

"Yeah but…pink is very…becoming…"

"How dare you!" I tried to smother a laugh as I heard another familiar sounding slap.

"I can't believe I saw a future of us together, you _scumbag_!"

And with that, I heard the _click-clacking_ of angry heels going to the _other_ direction, and I counted down from fifteen.

I'd just gotten to two and was opening the front door of my car again when someone ran right by me and jumped their way into the passenger seat.

"You," Freddy said, panting from his sprint, "are a lifesaver."

I shrugged modestly as I started ignition, and adjusted my rearview mirror. I took out my scrunchie to tie my hair back up, when Freddy looked over.

"Aw, but you look sexy like that," he said, and I nearly choked. I glared at him, and he amended with a cheeky grin, "Okay, feisty then."

I rolled my eyes as I tied my hair back up, then held out a hand.

"I'd like my bra back, please," I said patiently.

He dug into his jeans pocket and whipped it out, twirling it around a finger with an evil grin. "Oh, you mean this little number? I didn't think you were into the lacy ones, Summer."

I grabbed it from him and stuffed it into my pocket, before putting the car into gear and moving.

"I'm proud of you, Summer Hathaway," I heard him say solemnly. "From pre-teen size, to the C-cup, and now, I am an honored witness to your graduation into…"

"Freddy!" I said loudly, "Shut up, that's the last time I'm saving your ass."

"Sure," he said easily, and then swung my lukewarm coffee from its place. "Oh, you shouldn't have."

"I didn't, that is MINE-"

He slurped loudly from it, and I reeled back. "Ugh, keep it," I groaned, then jammed the accelerator just in time to avoid a red light.

"Where to?"

"Your place," I said evenly. "You were supposed to be there with Zack to sort over the instruments, remember?"

"Oh, right," Freddy said, blinking. "We did. Or, I don't know…Zack did, I guess. Celia woke up then, so it was kinda awkward, you know how it is. So I told Zack I'd call him in a bit-"

"But you ended up calling me," I finished for him. I shook my head in disbelief. "You never fail to amaze me, Freddy. What did the poor girl do this time?"

I saw him look at me from the corner of my eye.

"Did you not hear that part about seeing a _future_ together?"

"Ah, I see," I said wisely, then nearly swore as my cell phone rang again. "Freddy, get that, it's in my pocket."

He reached over and deftly took out the ringing—and vibrating—phone from the pocket on my left thigh.

He flipped it open and I quickly motioned for him to prop it under my _other_ ear. I like to keep things even.

"Hello?"

"Summer, it's Katie,"

"Hey, Katie," I said loudly, so Freddy could hear. "I found something that belongs to you."

"Is it blonde and high on testosterone?"

"Yebo," I said, using one of inside terms for 'you betcha'.

"Great. Hold on," I heard Katie's deadbeat voice muffle a little, then a much louder shout out to someone near her.

"_Zack! He's with Summer._"

"_Tell them to come here 'cuz we moved all the stuff._"

"Summer?"

"Zack moved all the stuff, I heard," I said, then reached out to grab the half-cup coffee cup from Freddy. "Where are you?"

"Ned's. I went over to Freddy's, but Zack was the only one there-"

"You helped him move everything?"

"Yeah. I already had the bass guitars in my van anyway…"

"Okay, meet you there in five," I said, then motioned for Freddy to take my phone from me.

"Change of plans?" he inquired.

"As a matter of fact, yes," I said, sliding my hands around the steering wheel for a turn, "Katie did what _you_ were supposed to, that is, help Zack load all the stuff over to Ned's, so—"

"Wait, Zack left?"

I nodded, looking back at him quizzically as he whipped out his own cell phone from his jeans pocket. I watched him from the corner of my eye, but refrained from interrupting him as he dialed a stored number and waited for the call. He looked at me and smiled in a way I suppose he thought was perfectly harmless.

Ha ha.

"Yeah, hey Zack," he said after a while. "Listen, I heard that you're at Ned's?" He paused as he listened, and I tried to strain my ears to hear what Zack might be saying, but couldn't make it. "Sorry about that…yeah, thanks…listen…"

If I had the tiniest feeling of suspicion before, well now, it had multiplied ten-fold, when I realized Freddy was lowering his voice deliberately.

"About the…packages…" I heard him mumble. "Oh, you moved them…great, great, thanks man. Yeah I got the keys…aiight, see you later."

He snapped his phone shut, and pocketed it back, turning to smile at me once in the same way as he'd done before. I narrowed my eyes in response, which only made him grin even more.

"I'm not even going to ask," I said, rolling my eyes. It was probably a couple of girls he probably wanted to try sneaking into the trip or something. Heaven knows Freddy's been one of the few band members (the other's Frankie) who never ceases to try advocating more groupies.

A few minutes passed in relative silence as I rode through the busier streets, and my mind swept back to Celia and how Freddy got into that kind of mess all over again.

"You're repulsive, Freddy," I said casually, keeping my eyes on the road.

"And what brings on this unfair attack?" Freddy countered, fiddling with the radio. "_Man_, not this crap again. What is this anyway?" He squinted his eyes as he read the small screens, "Beethoven…Etta James…" He scrunched up his face in disbelief, "_Rod Stewart?_"

"Hey," I said defensively. "He's got the sexiest voice ever, okay? And he sings great songs about the glorification of love and forever and-"

"The only thing in rock about forever is the music itself, Summer," Freddy said in a more serious tone. "Seriously. _That's _forever. You should listen to more of the stuff Katie likes—"

"Oh, right, Katie," I said, a bit more sour than I meant to sound, "Let me ask you something. How are you going to explain Celia to Katie huh?"

"Why explain?" Freddy sounded genuinely confused. "She and I are cool with shit like this man. We're all human…we're all animals—"

I snorted. "I know _you_ are, Freddy, but I doubt Katie truly appreciates being treated like a last resort-"

"She's not a last resort!" Freddy cried. "I told you, we got an understanding, Kitty and I. Neither of us is into that whole…commitment shit, that's all. The world's messed up enough as it is. Why waste life making promises you won't be able to keep anyway?"

I listened in silence. This was just another of our most common arguments. I say he and Katie need to sort out their relationship because the way it is right now is positively unreal. I mean, Katie is all into the alternative, almost-gothic appeal, and some of her views are just too different from mine for us to have ever truly bonded. But STILL. I would have expected a woman who listens to Ani Difranco and is against subjugation of women, as I am, to be more selective of her boyfriends.

Freddy, on the other hand, claims he and she are on the same page. I mean, one of his favorite quotes is 'make love, not war', which, by the way, is an ideology he _thoroughly_ practices with ease and dedication.

Me, I'm safe to say I'm on the saner side. The side where a _majority_ still resides; the rest of the band all have or have had boyfriends/girlfriends at some point or another, never ever multiples ones, though.

I mean, look at Billy. He's had the same boyfriend, (a totally sweet Algerian guy named Tristan who works as sous-chef at this trendy restaurant), for almost two years.

Look at Alicia and Gordon. My god, they've been together since junior high!

And me…

Well, that's a totally different story, but even I never saw more than one person _at a time_.

Okay, I've only ever seen one person, but _still_. At least I understand the concept of commitment, whereas some people clearly don't or refuse to.

Sometimes I wonder just how far either Freddy or Katie will be able to live with their 'understanding'. A person can only take so much…

And I still say it's better to be content with one person, than to be insecure with dozens.

**

* * *

Freddy's P.O.V.**

"Queen?"

"Check."

"Aretha?"

"Check."

"Sean Paul?"

"Check."

"Stevie Wonder?"

"Check, check."

"Elton Jo…"

I stopped short, and looked up from the small tunes list Summer had typed up. I glared at Billy. "No way, fancypants."

"But Freddy-"

"No Elton John," I said firmly, shaking my head. "I already told you, Billy…I do not believe in feather boas and mauve lycra…"

"_Why not?_" Billy stuck his chin out at me stubbornly, and I rolled my eyes for the millionth time. I was going to kill Summer for making me go through the discs for the roadtrip. Don't get me wrong, I—and practically everyone in the band—am totally for the whole authentic listening vibes through discs and vinyl. I mean, the idea of shoving legendary rock masterpieces into tiny palm-thin mp3 things is a TRAVESTY.

But to go over everyone's music list with BILLY?!

It wasn't _fair_. Everyone else was doing something far more righteous. I mean, Zack, Vee-Vee and Katie were playing foosball after packing up the stuff, Frankie, Marco and Gordon were going over the sound system details, and the backups were squawking loudly about eye varnish and nail curlers or something like that.

And Summer was buzzing around like a bee; I could practically imagine her antennae conducting everyone's schedules with her synchronized watch.

"_Because_," I said to Billy, "Feather boas are like…harming the ecosystem. And magenta is just…"

"No," Billy shook his head, tossing one end of his multicolored scarf over his shoulder, (I don't care if he calls it a shawl, it's a scarf.) "Why not, as in why can't I bring Elton when everyone else can get something that _they_ like? I mean, what about _my_ rights? Elton is an extremely talented megastar, who has artfully composed-"

"Just shut up," I groaned, rubbing the palm of my hands against the sides of my neck. "You just bond with old' Ellie cuz he's gay…"

"_What?_ That is like, SO unfair. I mean, I don't bond with that Queen guy, do I?"

"Freddy Mercury," I said warily, narrowing my eyes as Fancypants brought up my all-time idol.

"Yeah, him. I don't bond with _him_, do I?"

"Mercury ain't gay!" I sat up straighter on the barstool in Ned's kitchen, bristling somewhat.

"No, you're right, Freddy Mercury wasn't gay," Billy amended, and I loosened up. He pursed his lips thoughtfully before adding, "He was bisexual."

"OKAY, FINE," I said loudly, grabbing the Elton John collection Billy had been clutching in his manicured hands, and dumped it unceremoniously into the cardboard box of discs. "There, Mr. Tiny Dancer's in the box, okay? _Alright?_ Now finish this up while I go stab myself in the eye."

"Don't stain the rug," Billy murmured not-too-subtly, and I rolled my eyes, hopping off the barstool to go join the human community.

I went over to join Zack and the girls at the F-table, and after fifteen minutes of me and Vee-Vee kicking Zack and Katie's asses, I felt much saner.

"_Score, fifteen-nine_," I boomed. "C'mon King Kong, gimme some goodness right there…"

"Whoo!" Vee-Vee hooted, slapping me a high five.

"We let you two off easy," Katie said, grinning.

"Yeah," Zack said, looking at us exasperatedly as we kept whooping our victory. "You on for another game? Katie and I are gonna take you down this time…"

As we set up for another game, I looked up to find Summer and Andy perched on the seats against the windows overlooking the street outside. I watched them briefly as Summer peered out of the windows, a look of worry creeping onto her face.

I narrowed my eyes slightly, knowing perfectly well what she was looking for.

Or rather, who.

Since the day she'd first brought him into our fold, Summer hadn't brought up that loser of a musician around again, and I was smart enough not to enquire. I had no doubt in my mind that the guy was still crashing this cruise, because I've known Summer long enough to know that she would never back down.

Still, in no way does that mean that I am going to take it lying down.

But the next second the look of worry on Summer's face was gone as Andy bent forward slightly and laid a hand on her arm. Whatever he said next, Summer obviously found relief from, because they immediately started talking animatedly about something that I was too far away to eavesdrop.

"Have you guys ever noticed," Vee-Vee said aloud, as she aligned her players. "that every time you watch a movie or read a book, no one in the stories ever go to the bathroom?"

Zack and I exchanged a quick look of amusement, but, as usual, he was the first to encourage our purple-headed friend's…eccentricity.

"Hey, you're right," Zack said, raising his eyebrows as if impressed.

"I know," she replied matter-of-factly. "I find it rather disappointing that authors can be creative enough to create stories, but throw out the more practical sides of their characters."

The rest of us just nodded mutely, trying not to look at each other in case we'd burst out laughing. Damn. From the moment I'd met her, I knew King Kong was always a riot to have around.

_One down for Summer Hathaway. _

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Summer made a huge deal out of getting to the door first. Unsurprisingly, it was 'just-Hunter-no-last-name'.

"Hey!" he greeted everyone, most of whom actually responded realistically.

"C'mon in," Summer said brightly, and ushered him in. "Dewey and Ned will be here shortly…"

I turned away. I made to resume the game we'd been playing, but I was stunned to find everyone—I mean it, _everyone_ – approaching the guy like he was some Messiah.

_Give me a break! _my mind groaned.

Thankfully, Dewey and Ned both arrived not long after, and Summer finally got her act together.

"Okay, everyone!" she said loudly, grabbing the clipboard that was practically attached to her forearm. "Let's get settled, Dewey and Ned are here to watch the proceedings for awhile, but the rest of us," she smiled broadly at us, "are going on a road trip!"

"YEAH!" I roared along with the rest of the guys.

"Whoo-woo!" Alicia hooted.

"Man, I am _set_," I heard Leonard say to Marco.

"Right," Summer said, tossing her long hair behind her shoulder. "Now. We've got all the stuff ready. I presume everyone's filled out the tasks I set out for them."

Words and nods of assent met her, but I lounged back on the couch without answering. I'm sure Billy got it covered. Katie slid onto the seat next to me, and I smiled as I pulled her in closer.

"Okay," Summer said, looking more apprehensive, "Now you all know who Hunter is…I've already spoken to Dewey and Ned about…this, and I'm pleased to say that you have all been very supportive about him coming on this trip on such short notice, and Hunter," she turned to face him with a smile, "I'd personally like to say thanks for helping us out."

"It's an honor to be here, thank _you_," Hunter said to the band, but I couldn't help noticing he'd emphasized 'you' to Summer. I nearly gagged.

"Wanker," I whispered disgustedly so only Katie would hear. But she just slapped me on the hand, and told me to shush.

"Dewey?" Summer turned back to our _real _lead singer, "Would you like to add anything to that?"

"Sure," the big guy said, and trotted over to where Summer had been standing. "First of all," Dewey said, motioning toward Hunter, who'd just slid up so Summer could take a seat, "I gotta say, thank you to ma man Hunter, for coming all the way down here from…"

"Actually I live in this neighborhood…" Hunter said, grinning.

Everyone laughed, but Dewey got right back into it.

"Oh riiiiight," he said, "Well anyway, thanks to ma man Hunter, for helping us out in our time of need. Uh…you're gonna all have a blast, but listen to Tinkherbell closely, 'cuz there has to be sort of _code of conduct_," he pursed his lips thoughtfully at that, looking like he was pretty pleased he'd come up with that one. "But otherwise, just get out there, have a blast, do something I would do-"

Everyone laughed.

"And…just rock your bloody guts out," he said, clenching his fists dramatically at us. Then he grinned, "And then who knows? By the time all you buggers come back, Roz will be even closer to popping out the lil' one, eh?"

More laughter, although I couldn't help notice Summer's smile looking a little solid at Dewey's last comment.

"Okay…then," she said, speaking up louder. Shaking her head, she grabbed her clipboard and scanned it.

"Alright, this is how the ride schemes going to go today," she said, running a pen down the list. "Tech. guys—Frankie, Marco and Leonard—you guys got the stuff and are taking Frankie's van. I believe you're taking Michelle and Billy with you?"

"Yebo," Leonard said loudly, and the trio rose up to go down, Billy getting up to collect his kits and Michelle announcing she'd be there after a dash to the bathroom.

"Great," Summer continued, "Alicia?"

"I'm with ma main man," she said in her throaty voice, grinning mischievously as she pulled him up from the couch.

"Rest of the backups?" Summer looked up, "Marta? Tomika? You guys giving Vee Vee a ride right?"

"Yup," Marta said, popping bubblegum in her mouth loudly. I smirked as she slid off the tabletop she was sitting on; she had her blonde hair in the pigtail trademark she'd had from Horace Green, but looked much less innocent than before.

"Freddy, you're riding by yourself. Katie, you and-"

My smirk disappeared in a flash. "Wait-what?" I stared at Summer, who was just looking up with a hint of irritation that I'd dare disturbed her.

"I said you're riding by yourself, because you need to go get your car," she said. "You said you wanted to only ride in your car, and we've got the exact amount of cars needed for our stuff already…"

"What about Katie?" I asked, at the same time shoving her gently down from my lap onto the next seat. "Or Zack? How come they're not riding with me?"

"Because," Summer stressed, "Katie is riding with Andy with the rest of the wardrobe, and Zack already has _your_ drums in his."

I glared. "That leaves you. What, you get to just hop in your Beetle and drive off into the sunset with nothing?"

Summer reddened slightly. "No, Hunter is coming with me."

_Duh._

"But you're not carrying anything else," I stated, and she nodded exasperatedly.

"No, Freddy, I'm not," she said, tapping her pen annoyingly against the cardboard binding. "Can you shut up and go get your ride now? Although I still think it's a dumb idea, seeing as how you're just going to leave it there anyway."

She babbled on for a bit, and I let her. I didn't even realize when Katie rose up and started discussing stuff with Andy.

"I'm going with you too," I said suddenly, surprising myself.

"Uh---what?" Summer blinked rapidly, "Come again?"

"I'm riding with you," I said, and glared at Hunter for a second, "and him. It makes more sense you're right, leaving my car behind…"

Summer looked surprised. "Uh…okay, sure. Wow, Freddy, I'm…I mean, you were so adamant on taking your-"

"It'll still be there when I get back," I mumbled, getting up so I could quickly say goodbye to Ned and Dewey. But not before I looked back at Hunter, who'd been relatively quiet this whole time. "I'm taking the passenger seat," I said tonelessly.

"Sure thing," he said with a broad grin, making his gaunt face look less angular.

For some reason, something nudged the back of my mind as I looked into the guy's eyes.

Something wasn't right.

It was like…

Like he was _too_ comfortable being here, sitting next to Summer and watching her every move.

_Don't be paranoid_, I told myself. He wasn't worth it.

"G'bye Freddy," Ned said, breaking me out of my reverie and grinning. "Have a good time over there in London."

"Uh—yeah," I said, giving him an awkward half-hug, half-handshake. "I'll bring you back a London bus."

"Dude," Dewey said, pumping my fist. "Take care over there. Don't argue too much with Summer over there…our band girls are one feisty bunch, remember that…"

"I will," I said, rolling my eyes. "I'll bring you—I donno—I'll think of something," I said, and laughed.

"Just watch out for them too, though," Dewey said, as he walked me to the front door, "you never know what kind of wackjobs are out there in Queen-land…"

I stopped, turning.

"Yeah," Ned said, nodding, "there are lots of creeps out there on the road too. But you guys just have fun, be careful…"

I didn't say anything in reply.

I didn't have the nerve to say there are lots of creeps pretty nearby too.

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_**A/N: **Whoo! It took me a long time to update, sorry bout it. I just wasn't aware if anyone was really interested haha. N e way thanks loads to those reviewing. I'm in the middle of my mocks, but I just HAD to finish this up and post it. If there's any glaring errors or awkward moments, please forgive. This has been a work of fragments from several weeks going so…Hope you liked it! And please review!!!_

_**to Endymion015-**thanks for reading and reviewing the last one. Don't worry, Andy Seymour's character will come out more prominent soon! I know we all want to see some Frummer action, but these things take time!!!! ahh. Speakin of time, I cannot wait till April for your update! But good luck with everything!_

_**moira2: **Wow, thanks for u'r awesome review, it really brought a smile to my face haha. Haha. Yeah, Hunter. He's going to really roll while the others rock haha. Hope you liked the chapter!_

_**dancingducky0: **Thanks for pointing out it's been three months! I hadn't realized! haha. N e way trust me, I wanted to post this up quick too._

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original School of Rock people. But I do own Andy Seymour and Vee-Vee Qing-Khan, and now, Hunter._**


	7. Road Tripped

**_A/N: Yes! Am ba-aack. Thanks everyone who reviewed, you're awesome. _**

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**Rock with me, Roll with me**

**.:SIX:.**

The Road Tripped

**Katie's P.O.V. **

"Sure you don't wanna run it through one more time?"

I smiled sardonically as I stuck out my tongue at Andy, who was smirking as I finally let the deck play onto the next song. He'd been finding it hilarious that I had had _Doll Parts_ by Hole on replay ever since I'd put my maroon Cadillac in gear.

"What can I say?" I shrugged, "It's one of the best songs ever written."

"Ah, the feminist speaks," Andy said, grinning easily as he peered at me from under the hem of his gray beanie. He was sitting in the passenger seat, one leg crossed so he could rest his drawing pad on it. He'd been sketching different types of trees we'd passed in the last hour.

I have to admit, I was a little surprised when I first realized Andy had a whole other talent going on with art. I don't even think most of the others know about it, the guy keeps to himself so much. I guess they'd be surprised too. For the original School of Rock, music has been such a major part in our lives, I guess it kind of made us wipe away any other way of self-expression.

Not that we're all music goons.

I mean, Zack—being the one who writes most of our songs—could actually be called a poet. Lyrics are, after all, poetry in rhythm, right? Not to mention I get the feeling he actually dabbles in a little more than that. Like maybe a full-fledged book.

Summer, on the other hand, is an organizing whiz. I know, because I've seen her mentally catalogue all our hectic schedules as soon as they'd started rolling in. Personally, I think Summer is actually more in tune with music than she—or anyone, actually—gives herself credit for. After all, who'd been the one to practically overdose on music history research ever since Dewey had started us off in Horace Green?

The backups pretty much live and breathe music and dance, especially Alicia. Marta even did a bit of ballroom dancing back in eighth grade, and had won a couple of competitions for tango and samba. Even the tech. guys have lives outside the band. Marco is a chess and card games whiz, Gordon has already branched out into university-level computer programming, while Leonard and Frankie had both been constantly courted by coaches to join the school basketball and rugby teams.

Freddy is another story; of all the times we've known and gone out, I've never actually known him to have any hidden talents, although we all know he's got tons of it when it comes to rhythm. He picked up bass pretty quickly from me, and had even taken up quite a bit of piano.

It's hard to say much about the different sides of Freddy, just because he chooses to show anyone so few of them. I've met Freddy as a musician, known him as a people person, and _really_ known him as a lover. But I get the feeling there's more to him.

I just haven't really bothered to find out.

And I can say that with total ease because the feeling is completely mutual.

"Kat?"

"Hmm?" I murmured, realizing suddenly that I'd almost tranced out, my eyes on the road but my mind elsewhere. I turned to look at Andy, who had his usual lopsided grin on his face.

"You okay? You seemed out of it for a while there…"

I laughed softly. "A bit, maybe. How're the trees?" I asked, peering over at the sketchpad.

"Mediocre," he replied with a grin, not looking up from his sketch. I rolled my eyes.

"You'll never be satisfied, Andy," I said. It was true. Andy was a perfectionist at all his work, a trait that I had found hard to believe coming from such a laid-back, cool guy who seemed like nothing ever bothered him.

"Oh satisfaction isn't what I aim for," Andy said smoothly, flipping his pencil around like Freddy twirls his drumsticks during gigs. Andy erased a whole section I hadn't seen anything wrong with.

"It isn't?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "What _do_ you aim for then?"

Andy didn't reply right away, and for a second I thought he hadn't heard me.

"Perfection," he said finally, and I breathed out a whoosh of air, understanding what he meant.

"You're right," I said, smiling wryly, "That ain't anything _close_ to satisfaction."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Well, if you put it that way…"

"I won't," I promised, grinning, then added as an afterthought, "Actually, you know what, you're not the only one who kinda thinks that way. I mean, look at Zack. He's always at a loss when he doesn't have a pen and a notebook at hand right? And it's like practically a century before he gets the guts to show us some new material…"

Andy laughed, "Well, I can't really imagine it would be easy, unleashing words on paper you probably couldn't say yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it, the lyrics to these songs…any song, actually…they're all, what, things you'd never say in person to someone right?" Andy looked at me, questioning and amusement evident in his eyes, and I raised an eyebrow.

"What on earth are you getting at?" I chuckled, shaking my head as I steered around a slow bend on the road.

"Take Hole here," Andy said, pointing at the car stereo, through which Courtney Love's throaty voice was pervading the warm December air.

"Just listen," Andy said, tapping his pencil once, gently, at the small back-lit screen, where the title of the current song, _Northern Lights_, was trailing at a slow pace. "I mean…really listen."

I gave him a funny look, but, feeling rather weird about it, I listened.

_And I cry and no one can hear_

_Inhale_

_The blinded eyes that see _

_The chaos bring the pitiful to me_

_Even though I'm wide awake…_

"Okay, I-" I started saying, but Andy gave me a playful warning look, and I felt the words drown in my mouth.

_And blackest night and I will wait for you_

_It's cold in here, there's no one left and I wait for you_

_And nothing stops it happening_

_And I knew, I'd cherish all my misery alone_

I swallowed hard, dimly realizing how little I was actually seeing the road I was driving on. My hands felt heavy on the steering wheel, almost completely dependently. But more than anything, I felt something else grow heavy as I took in the real meaning of what Courtney was singing…

_He's so cold_

_He will ruin the world tonight all the angels_

_kneel into the northern lights_

_Kneel into the frozen lights_

_And they paid, I cry and cry for you_

_Ghosts that haunt you with their sorrow_

_I cried 'cuz you were doomed…_

"Do you think you could?" Andy asked suddenly, but gently, peering at me from under the crooked hem of his beanie, his eyes as dark and still as a panther's. I felt the skin on my arm prickle up uncomfortably. _It's just the lyrics_, my head told me. But I found myself staring back, letting my foot ease off on the accelerator unconsciously. My tongue felt too thick and dry for my mouth, and I forced my head back toward the road.

I had no idea what kind of crazy was going on right now.

"I don't know," I said honestly, after a moment's hesitation. Andy was right. I didn't know if I would be able to say words like that to just anyone. I've been a Hole fan for over ten years, practically, and I couldn't believe it was only now affecting me this way; this slow, almost sluggish invasion of my interpretation was so strange to bear.

"So imagine," Andy said now, "how Zack might feel if he wrote something up like that, maybe after a thorough inspection of his own feelings and whatnot, and then had no choice but to leave it up to the rest of us to see as we saw fit."

I didn't say anything. I didn't really have to; my silence was as sure a sign of agreeing as I could say in words. I just nodded, keeping my eyes on the deserted road.

I couldn't help smiling again though. "You know what," I said suddenly, causing Andy to look up from his sketchbook once again. "I think you're too sane to hang around with a bunch of freaks like us," I said, grinning.

Needless to say, this only made Andy laugh again. "How's that?" he asked as he turned toward me again, the sliver of his silver hoop glistening on his eyebrow like a small beacon. "I don't think you're a bunch of freaks."

I gave him a cunning look. "So you're saying we're plain and boring?"

He returned the look, amusement running through his eyes. "You're all about putting words in peoples' mouths today, aren't you? Alright," he said, grinning, "Fine. You're all as plain as day. As open as a book. But lucky for you, I'm looking for a little plainness in my life."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Sure you can stand plainness forever?" I asked impishly, giving him a cocky look. "Once you're in, you're in, you know."

I watched his eyes flicker at that, but it was hard to read what emotion it held.

"So you think the band will last forever?" he asked me, his voice neutral, his eyes the same.

I felt my grip on the wheel tighten at that. I had never given it a second thought, the prospect of the School of Rock ever really ending. Of course, there was university and college up next, then jobs to keep a living…

_But music is my living_.

"You think you could do music forever?" Andy asked again gently, almost as if he'd heard my thoughts said out loud.

"I would like to," I said carefully, relieved there was a rare right turn coming up so I had something to control right then. "What about you? I thought you loved music."

"There are lots of things I love," Andy said, looking back down at his sketchbook, although I noticed he didn't continue his sketch. "And forever's an awfully long time, Katie."

I nodded after a while, because I had nothing to say to that.

What was there to say to that?

**

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Zack's P.O.V.**

There was nothing to it, really.

At least, that's what I told myself. That's what Freddy _always_ tells himself, and he gets away with it.

But then, Freddy could get away with murder.

I shook my head as I crunked up the air con on heat, it was a little more chilly than I expected it to be. Or maybe I was just getting cold feet at the prospect of running away from home.

_You're nineteen years old_, a voice said in my head. Running away—especially when you're still living with an overbearing set of high-society parents—was not an option.

It's a necessity.

Taking a deep, uncomfortable breath I hit the play button on my stereo and tried driving with a little more ease as the opening chords of _Plush_ by Stone Temple Pilots blasted through the cool air.

Immediately I felt a rush of warmth and clarity wash over me, yet another sign that music really does have healing powers. In a way I was relieved that Summer had assigned me so it was just me and my Scorpio. But on the other hand, I half-wished that someone else could have been here to keep me company on the road. Not to mention keep me from going insane at the thought of my dad.

Freddy's usually best at doing this. But Vee Vee would have saved me from any potential boredom too.

Suddenly I saw a mirage.

That was the only thing I could process at what I was seeing on the road ahead. But almost immediately I realized I was seeing the real deal.

Sure enough, as I pulled the car to a smooth stop near the canary-yellow broken down Mazda, it was none other than Vee Vee's bright pink hair that I had not mistaken from meters away. She and Tomika looked like they were trying to fan away the cloud of fumes coming from the engine. I noticed Marta sitting sideways in the backseats, her legs sticking out of the open door and resting on the tarmac ground. She held a cell phone to her ear with one hand, the other pulling at one of her low pigtails anxiously.

"You guys are already halfway!" I called out loudly once I'd rolled down the window. All three heads shot up, relief evident on their faces. I laughed as I got out of the car. "What happened?"

"I have no idea," Marta said, getting up from the seat and meeting me at the smoking engine with the other girls.

"I knew we should have stopped at that warehouse!" Tomika said loudly, tugging at one of her earrings as if it were bothering her.

"Well, there's nothing we can do here," I said, taking one look at the engine works and knowing it was better left to the garage people. "You call anyone yet?" I asked Marta, who shook her head.

"I think we're already out of network access," she said, glaring at her cell phone. "Stupid technology," she muttered, before flashing us a grin to let us know she was kidding.

I tried to smile back, tried not to notice how the light seemed to bounce off so easily from the blonde of her hair. Or how the slight green in her eyes seem to drink it all in anyway…

"Zack!"

"What?" I spun around, nearly knocking down the steel prop holding up the hood as I did so. Vee Vee was looking at me with an amused look, hands on her hips.

"I was just asking if we could get a ride with you," she said, laughter swimming in her eyes as she turned away and went to already start unloading the back. "I mean, your car's huge, is it not?"

"Oh, yeah!" Marta joined in suddenly, grapping my arm as she appeared suddenly at my side. I felt my breath catch, and I looked vainly around for Tomika or Vee Vee, figuring it was better to address them together than just one.

Or just Marta.

"Can we, Zack?" she was saying now, taking a step closer so I was leaning pretty dependently on the rim of the engine. "We won't take up that much space," she said softly, her eyes imploring. "Plus Summer will have our asses if we get there behind schedule…"

My mind struggled for one coherent sentence. Just one. Instead, I found myself dimly managing to list out exactly how much stuff I had in the back of the Scorpio. Freddy's drums were the bulkiest, definitely, but I'd already disassembled them before loading. Freddy's packages were, of course, the most…fragile. But I figured it was only an hour or two left at the most anyway.

I looked down and somehow managed to smile. "Of course," I said, "I'll give you guys a ride to the port. But first we're going to have to wait till someone comes and picks this up," I said, tapping the steel frame, and jolted back my hand, wishing I hadn't done touched the steaming hot metal.

Marta laughed with glee. "Thanks, Zack," she said sweetly, then held out her hand. "Here, let's see."

I gave her a questioning look, but smiling, she took my hand—the slightly burnt one—in hers and took out a bottle of mineral water from the side pocket of her shorts.

"It's nothing," I said, slightly embarrassed, but she wouldn't let me move.

"Sure it isn't," she said softly, then uncapped the lid with one hand. "But to make it stay nothing, you gotta cool the pain off a bit first…"

"Really, it's nothing," I said again, barely taking in my own words. She smelled like lemon and strawberries at the same time. It was making me feel a little drowsy.

Then she giggled softly, shaking her head as she poured some water over the sweltering blister across the palm of my hand. I watched, amazed, at how quickly the sword-shaped burn had taken shape.

"You're so silly Zack," Marta said, then looked up to see my reaction. Of which I had none.

I don't know how long we stood like that, my watered hand in hers, her blue-green eyes playful and welcoming as they seemed to draw even nearer to my face…

"Hey, Zack, can I-" Vee Vee stopped short just as I tore my hand away from Marta's, and Marta smoothly stepped back.

"Oh," Vee Vee said quietly, and I looked at her face just in time to see a sliver of surprise cross her face, before a huge grin broke out. "Sorry, I just wanted to ask if we're going to call for a tow truck or something…"

"Yeah," I said, nodding fervently as I took down the steel pole to set the hood back down, "Yeah, I think we should-"

"No, it 's okay," Marta said, giving her car a tiresome look. "It's been acting up on me for weeks now, we might as well just leave it here."

Both Vee Vee and I stared at her. She stared back. "What?" she said, looking surprised, "It's not like I can't get another car when we get back. Honestly, this car has been breaking down ever since graduation-"

"But haven't you sent it to the garage?" I asked, incredulous that she'd leave an expensive car behind, as faulty as it may have been. "I mean, there must be something they can do…"

"No, I don't usually send them there," Marta said, taking a sip of water from the bottle, "It costs as much to fix these things as much as it does to buy a new one, trust me."

I nodded slowly, seeing some truth in it. Foreign cars were almost always like that.

"Still, we can't leave it here," I said, and whipped out my cell phone. "You girls can get in the car, I'll be right there."

"You still going to call those garage people?" Marta asked, amusement riding on her lips.

I nodded, smiling. "I'll just tell them where it is, and that they can use it for scrap or something."

"Oh good idea," Vee Vee said, and I realized suddenly that she hadn't left at all.

The girls went and got Tomika and together they started lugging their luggage toward my car. After I placed a call at the nearest garage, (clearly, Marta's cell phone company was faulty too), I went and helped them place the luggage carefully in the back.

"All right," I said finally, wiping out a bead of sweat on my forehead, "Hop in, we better get going…"

Marta and Tomika cheered, then started climbing into the back passenger seats.

I made my way toward the driver's, when I heard Vee Vee's voice.

"Oh wait, I can't sit in the front," she was saying, "I hate having to look straight at the road, it gives me the creeps…Marta, why don't you sit up front, and I'll watch over our stuff with Tomika…"

My blood froze, because I knew exactly what Vee was doing. I sent her a warning look, but she just smiled innocently at me, flipping her short pink hair with an exaggerated carefree hand.

"That okay with you, Zack?" Marta asked, smiling.

"Sure," I nodded, hoping I came across completely calm and sane. I plugged in the keys to ignition, and the car came to life just as Marta shut her door closed and was strapping on her seat belt.

"We all set?" I said, giving her a smile.

"We all set, girls?" she flashed a grin at them.

"Yes! We're set, we're set, let's go!" Tomika cried out. I laughed, and cut the car back into the road. We'd been laid back for about forty five minutes, but if there were no more problems, I figured we'd be able to still get there in good time.

"Thanks again Zack," Marta said, looking at me with a grin, "You're our knight in shining armor, all right."

I coughed, telling my eyes to just keep to the road. God it was hot. Why was the air con on heat? I crunked it down to _Frost_.

"You okay?" Marta asked, looking half amused, but mostly concerned. "You're absolutely sweating…must've been all that engine work huh?"

I smiled weakly. "No, not at all. I'm afraid I'm not that much help in that department…"

"Oh, but you're being modest," she said, tugging at her pigtail. "I mean, everyone knows you keep this car in excellent condition…"

"It's not a foreign car," I said, grinning.

"It's still a car," she said, grinning back. "When are you ever going to admit that you're actually good at a lot of things, Zack?"

"When I am," I said, shrugging.

Marta didn't say anything, and I turned to look at her. She looked back, her smile as clear as the sky outside, and I knew she had no qualms about what I was saying.

"You're a pretty decent guy, Zack," she said finally, "How come you don't have a girlfriend?"

"Just hasn't happened," I said after a while, and turned back to the road. I looked up at the rearview mirror, and saw Vee Vee—who was sitting right behind me—catch my eye and flash me a big, encouraging grin.

I smiled back, something in me swelling up with gratitude at the awesome friends I had.

"I'm not in a rush," I added as an afterthought, and looked back at Marta, who was studying me with an interested look.

"For love?" she asked, her voice calm.

I shook my head. "For the right moment," I said.

"Well that's a good thing," she admitted, "but maybe if you try looking too hard for the right moment, you may be missing the best one…"

I didn't reply. I just returned her smile and nodded more out of consideration than agreement. After a while I looked back up at the rearview mirror, to see if Vee Vee had any suggestions on it, but when I looked at her reflection, I was surprised to see her looking out her window, her profile almost halfway hidden by the curtain of soft pink hair.

But most of all, I was surprised to see a sliver of something deep in her eyes, unmoving and only half-hidden.

Something I have never seen from Vee Vee's eyes, or face, or her whole character in general.

I realized that until this moment, I had never seen sadness on Vee Vee's face.

**

* * *

Summer's P.O.V.**

I fumed as I drove.

"Freddy Jones," I said for the millionth time. "If you play one more Queen song I will personally staple your balls together in your sleep."

The infuriating pig just laughed. "You have got to chill," he said, leaning back against my beautiful leather seats. "All that tension is going to send you to an early grave, and all the hard-earned money you saved up for your stay at the retirement home will have all been saved up in vain."

I glowered.

Fat-Bottomed Girls was playing for the sixty-sixth time on my stereo, and I was up to there with irritation. I mean, I am as much a fan of Queen as the next girl, but this was simply too much. The only reason I'd even let Freddy slot in one of his many Ultimate Queen collections was just in vain hopes for him to shut up during the ride. I know, fat chance of that happening for four straight hours.

I tell you, the kid is as sure a case for ADD as there ever was.

"Careful, Tink, you're fogging up the windshield with all the steam you're emitting."

I could practically feel his smartass grin being imprinted on the sockets of my eyeballs, that's how well accustomed I've become to Freddy. You'd think evolution would have at least equipped women like us with more immunity from men like him.

I mean, what happened to all that natural selection jazz? I mean, Darwin had fully promised that undesired traits in individual species would eventually be wiped off the face of the earth, just because the other individuals would simply not find them desirable as a mate.

And yet, the infuriating, inexorable, unbelievable truth is that guys like Freddy are all over the place! Which just goes to show, women aren't all that smart after all.

But I'd rather be boiled alive in cod-liver oil than admit that to Jones the Third.

"So," I heard Hunter—who'd been watching with an amused sort of countenance for the bulk of this trip—say out loud from his seat in the back, "Are you two always this sweet on each other?"

"No," Freddy said, his tone sobering up somewhat whenever he spoke to Hunter, but not enough to keep up the joke. "Today's just a special occasion. Normally, Summer leaves the stick up her ass on for the night too."

I almost growled this time, I swear. "Shut up Wilfred," I said, then raised my voice louder so I could talk to the only other functioning human in the car. "So Hunter," I said genially, not wanting him to feel neglected, "How long have you been playing guitar?"

"Oh, for several years," he said, his voice as smooth as soft as honey, even from where I was sitting. He had a slight accent to his voice I couldn't quite place the origin of. I was thinking he was maybe a mix or third-generation something, at the very least.

"I've been playing guitar since I was 8, piano since I was 5, and flute since I was 11."

I whistled out, impressed. "Wow," I said, "That's like three times the amount of instruments I can play."

"Summer plays the triangle," Freddy said solemnly from his seat.

I ignored him, although Hunter laughed.

"I play clarinet," I said through gritted teeth. The truth was, I actually played more. I started learning piano when we got into middle school, but I knew I was never going to get as good as the others in the band so I never actually brought it to anyone's attention. Not that I need it.

Attention, I mean.

"Oh, that's great," Hunter said, "So how come you don't incorporate that into the band more?"

I actually flushed a deep red. I know, because I caught a glance of my face in the rearview mirror.

"Oh," I said, coughing to buy me time. Thank God Freddy was momentarily absorbed with the stereo to notice. "No, you see, managing the band's a tough job as it is…"

"Yeah-" Freddy cut in, "It's a real pain, calling up agents and discussing future gigs and numbers over hors d'oeuvres at the Plaza and all…"

"Shut up Wilfred," I said again, taking small pleasure as he flushed at the use of his full first name.

Hunter snorted in the back.

"You got something to add?" Freddy glared at him.

"No, not at all," Hunter replied, grinning.

A few minutes passed in silence, and I was actually starting to comprehend the idea of a half-hour's worth more of this drive, when Hunter leant forward in the gap between the two front seats.

"Actually, yes I do," he said to Freddy, "I cannot believe your parents named you Wilfred."

Freddy fumed. I couldn't suppress a grin myself.

It was so rare to find Freddy on the receiving end for once, I savored the moment.

"Seriously, dude," Hunter was saying, "Did your parents not want you to live or what?"

"At least I have a last name," Freddy said simply, shrugging as if he gave the earlier comment no second thought. "One that actually means something in some circles."

I raised my eyebrows. It was really rare to hear Freddy bring up the society we grew up in, not to mention the society he _hated_ with a passion, as something actually worth being part of.

"Of course, Hunter," I cut in, "You have to remember that Freddy often goes around in circles."

Hunter laughed, and I joined in, but Freddy didn't say anything. He gave me a deathly stare, but I just smiled sweetly, letting him know that revenge was sweet.

"So Summer," Hunter said suddenly, leaning his head closer to mine over my headrest. "What kind of circles do you hang out in?"

"Oh, the regular kind," I said lightly. "I don't…really have time for socializing. to tell you the truth…"

"You can say that again," I heard Freddy mutter under his breath.

"Why, are you always busy?" Hunter asked, and I smiled.

"Most of the time." I admitted, although it felt odd saying that. It was true that in the more recent years I'd been so caught up with managing the band, but I'd never really thought of it as hard work.

"What about boyfriends?"

My grip jerked on the wheel. The car swerved violently to the wrong side of the road, and I hit the brakes with a jarring jolt stopped the cars but not us. Hunter stopped himself just in time from careening right past us and out through the window, while the seatbelts Freddy and I were wearing stopped us from getting whiplash.

The silence that followed, you could have slit its thickness with a knife.

"Shit, Summer!" Freddy swore loudly after a second, rubbing the side of his neck. "You trying to kill us before we get to the port?"

"I don't really have time for a love life," I said carefully, struggling to catch my breath after the little scene. I fully expected Freddy to cut in with another cruel joke or something. Surprisingly, he didn't.

"Whoa," Hunter said, giving a shaky laugh. "Glad I didn't ask about husbands."

"Sorry about that," I said, glad my voice came across stronger than I felt. I put the car back into gear and smoothly slid back on the right side of the road. I reached out and touched Freddy on the arm. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked, giving him a quick look before turning back to the road. "Sorry about that."

"I'm fine," Freddy said after a while, his voice unreadable.

"Wow," Hunter said again, once we'd gone about two minutes of covering more road. "You always respond to questions so violently?"

"In Summer's case," Freddy said, "Don't think and drive."

I smiled weakly.

I felt terrible. I had almost killed my passengers!

Okay, not really. But still, I hadn't meant to lose the wheel so suddenly as I had. I suppose I wouldn't have reacted so…brashly, had the question been asked under different circumstances.

_Oh really_, said a sarcastic little voice in my head.

I let out a deep breath.

Boyfriends were not a good topic for me to discuss. It really wasn't.

_Or rather, boyfriend, singular. _

_But you promised yourself you were over it. _

_You don't get over some things. _

I shook my head, trying to shake away the voices in my head with it.

"Summer?"

"What, Freddy?"

"I think we're here."

I looked out through his window, and realized we were about to drive right by the port. I could already see the Tech. guys and Andy and Katie's cars there.

Silently I swung the car around and revved up the engine, just to get there and stop sooner. I killed the engine a few yards away from Katie's Cadillac, and got out before either Freddy or Hunter.

I went to the back, getting my keys out in the process. I realized my hands were shaking just a little as I unlocked the trunk, but after a couple of deep breaths I was better.

A few minutes later and Freddy, Hunter, the tech. guys, Billy, Michelle, Andy, Katie and I were grouped together some paces off the entrances to the ship.

"Would you look at that?" Billy exclaimed loudly, waving a multi-ringed hand at the ship, the _S.S. Delphine_.

"Ten stories, _at least,_" I heard Frankie say as he slapped high fives with Freddy.

"That's right," I said, flipping open one of the brochures I'd just finished passing out. "Olympic indoor and outdoor pools, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, two movie theatres, a whole floor for shopping-"

"Yes!" I heard someone from behind squeal out.

We turned just in time to see Zack, Marta, Tomika and Vee Vee make their way towards us, their arms full of luggage – no doubt mostly belonging to the backups.

"Hey, you made it" Freddy said jokingly, going up to help the girls out. "What took you guys so long?"

"Long story," Zack said, giving him a pointed look. "I brought you some of your stuff as well..."

"Anyone know where Gordon and Alicia might be?" I inquired, trying not to get irritated at their tardiness.

"They're here," I heard Alicia say from behind, and I swiveled around again to find the two lovebirds come up slowly, their arms around each other as if they were just taking a leisurely walk.

"Great," I said, heaving a sigh of relief that everyone at least had made it before the ship had sailed off, (trust me, there have been similar occasions).

"Okay, now that everyone's here, I'd like to quickly go over some things," I started, handing out the brochures to the latecomers, and taking in their passports. As I handed them each their tickets, I added, "Now listen, guys, because Dewey managed to get Blackaby to get these first-class tickets for us, security check is not going to be as harsh as the airports—"

The guys whooped, and I gave them a withering look. They sobered right up, and I added, "Nevertheless they are still going to run us through the checks, but we go-" I pointed at the furthest most entrance bridge, at the head of the ship, "over there. Everyone clear?"

Nods and words of agreement met my question, so we started trudging toward the entrance. We passed the loading area where most of our belongings were going to be loaded, and I saw Zack and Freddy eye their instruments particularly closely.

I knew how protective they were of their stuff, and I was about to feel sorry for them, when they slowed down their movements, and started talking in very low tones.

Let me repeat that.

Zack _and Freddy_ were talking in _very low_ tones.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, but didn't say anything just yet.

We got to the entrance bridge, where a young woman who didn't look much older than me was checking tickets with a bright smile. She was pretty petite, with a small tunic-like top and a rather cute pair of sailor's shorts, and her blonde hair cut down right above her neck.

Needless to say, this stirred the boys to inch forward all of a sudden.

I went right up to the girl and smacked my clipboard open right in front of her.

"Hello, I'm Summer Hathaway," I started out formally, "I'm manager of this band, the School of Rock, and we're-"

"Oh my gosh," she said, her voice even younger than her looks, "It's really you!" She squealed, but I realized she was looking at the others rather than me. "I totally know who you guys are! You're all heading for the Blackaby Concert right?"

I nodded, somewhat grudgingly. I never really liked the idea of people getting to know too much about my band schedules ahead of time.

"Anyway," I said after a while, motioning toward the others, "We'd like to board now, if that's possible—"

"Oh sure, no problem," the girl said, smiling brightly, "In fact, boarding time was already a half hour ago…"

"_What?_" I was shocked. I thought we were early.

"Oh, no don't worry," the girl said quickly, "It's not your fault, I just meant that the ship pulled in earlier than scheduled, so we opened up boarding time earlier too…"

I nodded mutely, not really caring anymore. I was just dying for a drink. Strange, I know, but true. That road trip was more than I'd bargained for, that's for sure.

One by one, I watched as my bandmates passed through a tall security door, which, surprisingly, the same girl was supervising.

She sure was efficient.

"I'm Cindy, by the way," she said, holding out a hand. I shook it, but figured no words were necessary, considering she already knew who I was.

Suddenly I remembered I'd forgotten my Palm Pilot in my car.

"Oh shoot," I said, and looked back at the low building at the side of the port, where we'd all stored out cars for a nominal fee. "I'll be right back," I told Billy and Zack, who were still in the middle of the group.

I walked quickly toward the small building, checking that I had my car keys with me in the first place. I couldn't how careless I was being today. First, spilling coffee on my car seats, then nearly killing us on the road, now this. My palm pilot is one of the key instruments with which I managed the group, and without it, I was lost.

I knew I'd be lost.

After telling the guard the serial number and showing him the strip of identification paper we'd had to sign at the beginning, he let me in and quickly get my palm pilot.

I ran back to the ship, just in time to see Gordon and Alicia disappear into the boat, and Freddy flirting with Cindy the girl.

I rolled my eyes, and tapped my foot impatiently two feet away from them.

"Thanks again, Cindy," Freddy was saying as he hoisted his huge backpack onto his shoulder and made his way up the ramp.

That was when his backpack barked.

I was numb for a second.

Then I was furious.

"Freddy," I called, and he turned around, all sheepish grins. What was that old phrase? Ah yes.

Sheep in wolf's clothing.

Which just further proves that natural selection is a farce after all.

I fixed my flare on Freddy. "Can you come here for a second? I need to have…a word."

"Um…let's go inside first," he said cunningly, looking down at me with mischief in his eyes, "You can have lots of words in there, I promise."

"Get here _now_!"

Freddy rolled his eyes and swaggered back down the ramp and toward me, giving Cindy—who was giggling---a look that clearly expressed the "_She's crazy, but what can you do, eh?_" vibe.

As soon as he was in pinch-range, I grabbed a hold of his arm with vice-like grip, and dragged him a good five meters away from Cindy.

"Freddy," I said through gritted teeth. I couldn't even look at him. I held my hands up to the side of my head. "Please. Tell me," I said in a venomous tone. "Do you or do you not have a dog in your backpack at right this very moment?"

"Summer, darling-"

"_Freddy!_"

"Oh, you're serious!" Freddy said, feigning surprise. "In that case…yes, I do have a dog in my backpack at right this very moment."

I wanted to wail.

Clearly, _this_ was the 'packages' that Freddy had so earnestly inquired about from Zack.

"Freddy," I moaned, burying my face in my hands. "Freddy, _what is the matter with you_? Are you insane?!"

"It's all worked out, I promise," he said, looking genuinely surprised now. "I talked to Cindy, the Captain's daughter-"

"Oh! The captain's daughter!" I said sarcastically, "That's great, Freddy. That's just great. So now, when they drag us to the London penitentiaries, I'm going to have to tell the Captain not only that you managed to sneak a living animal aboard the _S.S. Delphine_, but that you also seduced his daughter within five minutes into boarding time. Is that what you want me to do?!"

"No," he said simply. "And you're wrong."

"Oh REALLY, Freddy?" I practically yelled. I wanted to shake him! "Am I wrong, huh? Am I really wrong? You _don't_ have a living pup in your backpack right now?"

"Oh that, well yes," he said, then added with a proud grin, "But! It may also interest you to know that I also brought Tangerine with me."

I stared.

"You," I said, my tone remarkably calm, "are _not_ bringing them to London."

He stared at me, and for a second I almost grew scared at the venomous look in his eyes. "Wow," he said, "That sounds awfully familiar to something _I_ said about you bringing _another_ dog to London."

My mouth fell slightly open, but I had nothing else to say.

Freddy grinned, and I felt my mouth shut without my consent.

"Really, Summer," he said, his tone back to normal, "Do you really expect me to leave my pets alone at the apartment, with no one to take care of them or feed them or take them on their daily walks? I told you, I'm not as inhumane as you think I am…"

He took a disbelieving look at my face then added cheekily, "And yes, I actually know what inhumane means, Tink. Now come on, everyone's aboard already, it's not like you to keep the band waiting." Then, as a careless afterthought, "Oh, not to mention, Hunter too."

And with that he turned and walked away from me.

**

* * *

Freddy's P.O.V.**

God, I am good.

**_

* * *

Yes! Another chapter done. This one I wrote today in one sitting—Four hours! Whoo! Hope you guys are okay with me bringing in more narratives into the scheme, that of Katie, obviously. I promise the Frummerness will be there (!!) next chapter onwards, as the cruise is certainly the point from which the story unfolds. So! Anyway, hope you all enjoyed it and please review!!!_**

_**HAPPY TET AND CHINESE NEW YEAR Y"ALL!!**_

_**And here are my reviewer thanks: **_

_**Endymion015-**Thanks so much for your lovely review, as always. I'm personally glad I got this one done because I really wanted to push forward a bit with the other characters, such as Katie, Marta, and of course Andy. And Hunter. Sigh. Well only time will tell now my friend. Haha. _

_**LivingStoneLily-**Haha! Freddy throwing Hunter off the ship. Thanks for the idea! Haha. Thanks for reading! _

_**Mizz loserr-**Haha, well here's another chapter! Hope you liked it, and mucho thanks for reviewing, it really means a lot! _

_**Samurai Angel**: Yes, yes, I know, the Frummer action will be there from next chapter, honestly! Hah. Thanks for reading!! _

_**NathanScott23**-Haha, thanks. Expect a lot more FS interaction from the next chapter, trust me, it'll only get better from here. _

_**Chiyo**-I'm especially glad I got your review just 'cuz you said you don't usually review. That means I did something right! Haha. Thanks for reading! _

_**kookiesNcream-**yes, you're right, pink is usually the right color for that particular girl type, but I wanted to try breaking against the stereotype haha. At least I've updated:D And I don't live in the States. Haha. I'm not even American! So you can't kill me for non-updating action! Yay! Haha. Thanks for reading! _

_**Talon05**:Hey! Thank you so much for your review, I really needed it that day haha. Hope you liked this chapter too, and I promise more action from the next! Thanks! _

_**Vmggfan:** Wow, thanks for your nice comments! I try not to have so many errors, but sometimes I swear it's fanfiction network, it undoes what I correct! Argh. Haha, anyway, thanks for reviewing, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter:D _

**_

* * *

_**

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original School of Rock people. But I do own Andy Seymour, Vee-Vee Qing-Khan, and Hunter.


	8. Sick Like That

**Rock with me, Roll with me**

**.:SEVEN:.**

Sick Like That

**Zack's P.O.V. **

Sometimes you just have to hand it to Summer Hathaway. Where would we be without her business sense and strict demeanor with all outsiders? And with us, she still knows how to keep her cool whilst snapping out orders back and forth. Like now.

"Freddy Jones!" she snapped as the whole band simultaneously went down the narrow but tastefully decorated cabin-lined corridors. As of the moment, I tried not to grin as I saw Michelle, Tomika, and Marta storm into one of the ornate doors numbered 1103, no doubt to get away from Summer's warm-up to yet another showdown with my best friend. Oddly enough-or not-I saw Billy quickly slip into the room too before the door shut with a loud bang. A few seconds later saw Alicia, Gordon, Marco and VeeVee stepped into 1105, one of the many quadruplet rooms on this floor. VeeVee gave me an enthusiastic thumbs up before disappearing.

"Later, Tink," I heard Freddy waving Summer away with one hand, hitching up his huge backpack with the other.

"This isn't funny," Summer was saying, hitching her own purse higher up on her elbow as she stormed after Freddy, who was walking behind me. "Freddy," she hissed loudly. "I can't let you so flagrantly disregard the regulations on this ship…it would be completely unethical of me as my role as manager if I let you- "

"Could you give it a rest?" Freddy groaned aloud as we both looked for the doubles cabin we were supposed to room in together. "Nobody has a clue, and they will remain clueless as long as you don't play the saint gig. Not even half the band knows."

I saw Katie and Andy—who had been chatting as they trooped ahead of me—nudge each other with a knowing look as we all heard the usual ruckus between our band manager and Freddy. But just then Summer exhaled loudly before stopping in front of door 1108, holding up her trusty clipboard in one hand.

"Oh, here's your room Hunter," she said, turning back to the newcomer behind her. Hunter faced her with a grin, seemingly amused as the rest of us on the now common knowledge of what exactly Freddy was keeping in his backpack. "You'll be sharing with Andy, who is our-"

"Keyboardist," Hunter finished off for her as we all turned to watch the exchange between them. Summer looked impressed.

"That's right," she said, looking like she was about to smile at him. "You've done your research I've seen."

"Not so much research if it's about a band you love," was the tall, lanky guy's reply as he grinned at her.

Freddy turned back to me, rolling his eyes with disgust on his face. I tried not to laugh yet again as I sidestepped so Andy could pass through to step into their cabin. "See ya," I said to him as he grinned at us.

"Later, then," I heard Hunter say to Summer before he too vanished into the room. That left me, Freddy, Summer and Katie.

And two doors facing each other at the end of the corridor.

"Oh, no," Summer muttered.

"Fuck no," Freddy swore.

I turned to Katie and we grinned at each other, knowing that our hopes for a damn good time were going to be sustained.

"C'mon, man," I said, turning the knob of our cabin, "Let's check this place out…"

"She set this up," Freddy said as we stepped inside and shut the door behind him with a none-too-gentle slam. "She's seriously out to do the whole Big Brother act on us. Why else would she be hibernating right across the hall?"

But I had no inkling of what he said, when I saw the room.

"Nice," I whistled as I dumped my stuff on a low armchair nearby.

"Whoa," Freddy said behind me with thinly-veiled appreciation in his tone. "I thought Dewey said we'd be in cabins?"

We looked around us. It wasn't massive, but it was a comfortably sized room for two, with two identical single four-poster beds on opposite ends. The room—it had to be a room, not your average cabin—was surprisingly masculine and modern, with steel-colored writing desks and metallic seats mirroring each other.

I wondered briefly whether Summer and Katie's room had a similar décor. Otherwise, the place wasn't too shabby at all. But still it wasn't enough to completely cloud over the extra luggage I had in my mind.

"Nice, huh?" Freddy grinned, flopping back on a huge armchair overlooking an impressive downward view of the still-visible dockyards. He gently set his backpack on his lap, zipping the larger section open so that Mister Blister's small head slowly appeared. I laughed at the expression on the pup's face. He looked like a confused, wrinkly old man.

"C'mon, boy," Freddy said, grabbing firm hold of the pup's body and pulling him out and setting him on the floor. Knowing that the dog's bladder was probably in overdrive by now, I led him toward the bathroom. By the time I came back out, Freddy was busy feeding Tangerine, stroking her jagged back. I couldn't help but notice Freddy look a little worried. "You think it was a bright idea to bring them?"

I grinned at him. "No. But would you have left them?"

"No," Freddy grinned back, the worry gone from his face.

As for me, there was still a nagging feeling at the back of my head. He turned back to me and must have noticed my look of trepidation. "Hey, don't sweat it about your dad. By the time he comes around, it'll be too late even for him to turn this ship around. So chill."

I nodded, trying to let him persuade me as usual. It wasn't that hard, in the end. Freddy placed Tangerine in her traveling pen that I unloaded from our luggage, and we set M. B.'s sleeping couch on the ground. We then decided to go and explore the ship more. I guessed our bandmates were either having the same idea or they were reposing inside their rooms since I heard nothing but silence as we passed by the hallway.

All the rooms for the band members were located on the fifth floor, but as soon as we left our hallway it became clearer just how much the capacity of the ship was. The hustle and bustle of porters transporting luggage met with the mélange of arriving passengers who were either sightseeing like us, or looking for their rooms.

"Hey," Freddy said, nudging my arm before gesturing toward a row of four elevator shafts. I could tell why he wanted to get out of here quickly; Freddy got quite easily claustrophobic but not a lot of people were privy to that knowledge.

We stepped into one of the ascending elevators along with five other people, all seemingly Japanese tourists. I watched as Freddy leaned against the other side of the elevator after having pressed the button labeled _7 – Deck_. I smiled at the tourists once the doors slid open again and stepped out into almost blazing sunlight, an awesome ocean breeze…

And a fantastic view.

"Oh my god, I've died, Zack," Freddy whooped as we made our way across a huge crescent-shaped platform deck, outlined by a sturdy-looking steel railing. There were only around ten other passengers around, half of them children who were undoubtedly unconcerned with the dealings of luggage and whatnot. Freddy and I reached the railing, and we whooped enthusiastically once we saw what lay beyond.

"Oh my god," Freddy said again, and I nodded, mouth open. I hadn't noticed before, but on either side of this railing we were grasping were winding staircases that led down to a second huge deck. The first thing you noticed about it would be the _humongous_ kidney shaped pool.

"It's like the length of a football field," I exclaimed. I realized then that the reason why there were so few people on this deck was because everyone was in the lower one. Sure enough, what looked like a quarter of the ship's passenger capacity was busy milling around below, in swimsuits swimming, sunbathing or just about to do either.

"Look," I said, nudging Freddy on the arm and pointing down to a small group of people hanging around one of the umbrella-ed tables. "It's them." We waved as Alicia caught sight of us and waved, catching the attention of Gordon, Katie, Summer and Marco. In a matter of minutes we had cleared one of the stairways and were flopping down on the deck chairs with them.

"Is this something or what," Alicia gestured toward the pool area and shook her head. She sat on the hardwood floor, with Gordon on a chair behind her rubbing suntan lotion on her back.

"It sure is," Freddy said, grinning as he lounged back on his chair. I noticed he sat as far away from Summer as possible. "If we'd known you guys would slink off here as soon as we stepped foot on the ship, Zack and I would have beaten you to it…"

"Where are the others?" I asked no one in particular.

"Umm…" Katie garbled from her relaxed position in her chair, before taking out the lollipop from her mouth, "I think Billy persuaded the girls to stake out that shopping part…"

"Floors six and seven," Summer muttered aloud as she trained her eyes—hidden by large sunglasses—on her trusty Blackberry.

"TWO whole floors for shopping?" I exclaimed, shaking my head in disbelief. It was madness.

"Yeah," Summer said, looking up briefly to smile at me, "but don't forget there's also a games and recreational area…you know, your billiards, bar, gym area and all that…"

"That's where we headed soon, man," Freddy enlightened me, and I grinned back.

"Uh-what?" Summer looked up and took off her sunglasses. "You guys can't go anywhere until we have a post-boarding meeting." She looked down at her watch, "In fact, it should be starting in less than an hour. Where _is _everyone?"

We all stared at her.

She sighed, raising one hand in defeat. "Fine. Shopping. Got it. But still, I expect full attendance and punctuality."

"Hey, Kat," I heard Marco on the other side of the table, "You got any idea where Andy is? I thought he was gonna meet up with us by now?"

It was Summer who answered. "He's with Hunter. I think they went with the girls and Billy, but they went to check out the bar." She paused. "Well, I think that's what Hunter said."

Freddy snorted.

Summer ignored.

"Excuse me," came a foreign voice, and we all looked up as a pair of pretty young women clad in the ship's uniform smiled at us. Suddenly the cruise got even better.

"On behalf of the cruiseline, we'd like to welcome you aboard the S.S. Delphine," spoke one of them, a redhead with soft features but killer blue eyes.

"May we place your complimentary welcome drinks on your table?" asked the other one, a foxy looking brunette with the same piercing Andy had. She was speaking particularly to Summer, whose Blackberry and Macbook were taking up half the space.

"Uh…" Summer started, her eyes saying 'no' but her expression willing to be civil.

"It's okay, we'll take 'em ourselves," Freddy said suddenly, reaching out already for one straight from the redhead's tray. He grinned at her, reading the tag, "Thanks, Crystal."

One by one, we all took our drink in our hands. Summer declined, going straight back to her work without a word.

We spent the new half hour lounging around comfortably in our places, taking in the scenery and the setting. In addition to the massive pool there were also, toward the bow of the ship, four tear-shaped hot tubs and Jacuzzis that were grouped together to look like a flower.

Just then, I heard a massive rustling noise accompanied by hurried footsteps, and turned around with the others in time to see the girls and Billy make a beeline toward us. Faces pink with exertion and excitement, Marta and Tomika whooshed out their hellos and plopped down right on the hardwood floor.

"Oh my gosh, I'm completely bushed," Marta exclaimed, setting what looked like a dozen shopping bags next to her. She looked up at me with her eyes twinkling, "You boys are gonna _love_ the games area, it's got more foosball and billiard tables than you can imagine!"

"She's right," Tomika nodded as she took a seat, carrying forth an equally formidable amount of bags.

But no one, it seemed, had anything on Billy, whose arrival I could only recognize because of his unmistakable elegant stagger. That, I must say, was the only identifiable trait amongst the towering wave of shopping bags approaching us.

"Oh, lord," Alicia muttered exasperatedly, turning toward Marta and Tomika, "We leave land and he's already bought out the whole floor."

The girls just grinned impishly at her, and we looked on as Billy made another of his dramatic entrances.

"Good heavens," he cried out as he came within earshot. He didn't stop short but carried on to the other side of the table, dropping all that he'd carried on the two remaining chairs in a whoosh of plastic. "Well," he raised his sunglasses onto his forehead as his eyes narrowed, "_Some_ people were no help at all. Summer, I'm going to have to rethink your little…proposal to the band, after all…"

Summer looked up, a mixture of irritation and confusion crossing her face. I turned back around and realized he was talking about the new guy, Hunter, who was just then stepping off the staircase with Andy and VeeVee in tow. For a second I was startled.

If I hadn't known better, I could have sworn Hunter was Freddy, if it were not for the bizarre encounter with Andy, whom Freddy never really hung out with. But the other guy, Hunter—in his laid-back beachwear attire—looked so much like my best friend as they walked up that I had to blink a couple of times just to make sure. It was the sun, blanching his red hair into an illusionary white, not to mention the comfortable strut that only guys like Freddy could handle.

Apparently, I hadn't gone mad. The others felt it too.

"Whoa," I heard Marta whisper loudly. "Guys, don't you think Hunter is totally—"

"Hot?" Billy said disdainfully but his voice was thinly veiled with conviction.

"No—yes," Marta laughed, one of those cute hiccoughy ones she does when she's either nervous or embarrassed, or both. "I mean…yes, he is good-looking, but I mean…doesn't he look like someone _familiar_?"

Everyone murmured their assent, and I saw even Freddy's eyebrows furrow with unsatisfied inspection.

"That's ridiculous," he said finally, shaking his head as drained the last of his drink.

I felt the urge to laugh at his obviously threatened tone—and knew the others did too—but we quickly muffled what mirth we felt when Hunter and Andy finally reached us.

"Hey gang," Hunter said with a wide grin, his eyes settling on Summer. "What you doing?"

"Well," Summer said, actually sitting up in her seat, "You're well in time for the meeting that's about to—"

"Put you into a coma," Freddy muttered as he laid back in his seat, obviously still miffed by the allusion we had made.

"Freddy," VeeVee said warningly as she sank straight on the ground, "Be nice."

But Freddy wasn't interested in being nice. As usual. "Trust me, Hunter No-Last-Name, you were better off shopping."

"Actually," Andy said, grinning, "Hunterand I were checking out the—"

"What's that supposed to mean, Freddy?" Summer interrupted, irritation evident in her tone. She was growing red in the face and neck, but I watched with surprise as her face grew taut with what looked like physical pain.

"Just what I said, Tink," Freddy shot back lazily, slapping his glasses back on.

"Sum, are you okay?" I stood up, about to move forward when she shot out a hand, the other going to her mouth.

"I'm—"she said, before making like she was about to stand up. Her Blackberry toppled onto her lap, and was about to slide off to the ground until VeeVee shot out her hand and caught it neatly.

"Thanks, Vee," Summer said in a low voice in mid-stoop, her face looking slightly distracted, as if she was trying to determine how she felt. "I just…I'm just a little…nauseated…"

"Oh, dear," Billy said, motioning with his hands rapidly, "Quick! Order some Evian! I read it's important you keep hydrated."

"Order some, then," Tomika said, looking worried as she reached forward to gently rub Summer on the back.

"You want me to take you to the nurse?" I asked, stepping forward and reaching out a hand. She took it with a grateful smile but shook her head, instead taking back her seat. "Thanks, Zack, but I'll be fine…"

"Maybe you should take his offer, Summer," Hunter said. "It couldn't hurt to get to the nurse if you're getting a little seasick."

"How can you get seasick by now?" Freddy piped up suddenly, leaning forward quickly. "I can still see the port for heaven's sake."

"No, you can't, doofus," Katie said, looking at him like he was crazy. "It's like two hours' worth of water away…"

"Whatever," Freddy replied, shaking his head as he leant back again, "I still can't believe you're sick already."

"I'm not _sick_, Freddy," Summer retorted with some muster, "Besides, I can't afford to get sick now. Plus I took a couple of those anti-seasickness tablets this morning so it's not the boat."

"Those things can backfire, you know," Marco said from his quiet corner. "Maybe you should take some rest just to be sure."

The other started murmuring their agreements too, all except for me, (because I knew she never would), Freddy, (because he's Freddy and she's Summer), and Hunter.

"Hey, hey," he said, raising his hands as though he were the one under gentle fire, "I'm sure Summer will know when she needs the extra rest." He looked back at her with a knowing grin, "Besides, I'm sure any band manager as…_handy_…as Summer is, could manage herself pretty damn well."

My skin grew cold, and my body froze for a second. I may have imagined the silence that followed, but I wasn't sure. It could just be one of those one-second events where time just seems to stretch into nothingness. Nevertheless, I'm still pretty sure I didn't imagine the slightly stunned looks on the others.

Clearly I wasn't the only one who thought this guy was speaking in tongues.

But I did see Summer look back at him, Hunter, with a different look entirely. A look of surprise, mainly. But surprise is a funny expression on the human face, as it is almost always tinged with undercurrents of something else. And now, on Summer, I knew those undercurrents consisted of gratitude, of slight embarrassment, and acceptance. What scared me a little was that I had no idea what she was accepting.

I doubted she did either.

**

* * *

Freddy's P.O.V.**

What. The. Hell. Was. That.

Seriously, I have no idea what gets into Summer Hathaway's head sometimes. None at all. Where does she find these people?

Okay, Vee's okay. A little on the nutty side, but it's been fun. And Andy seems harmless enough. In all fairness, he's been a pretty damn decent replacement for Laurence. So okay, Summer batted up two but she still hasn't made a home run. And—in all honesty—I didn't see how this guy was going to do the trick.

Unless sexual innuendoes and suggestive grins were all the rage now.

Oh yes, Hunter No-Last-Name's insinuations had not been not lost on me. What man's half-baked brain used words like _handy_ in this day and age without expecting some goods.

Of course, that was all obvious to everyone BUT Summer, who-in all honesty-lives up to her nickname all too perfectly. Sturdy as a bell, true, but as delicate as a Hendrix's Stratocasters.

Not that I was worried. In fact, if this guy was expecting anything from Summer, it would all be professional, knowing her. It was a well known fact that our little manageress disapproved of inter-band relationships, but would never be able to topple something like, for example, Alicia and Gordon's epic relationship. But to bend the rules herself?

I laughed out loud.

"What's the matter with you?" Billy said scornfully once the previous awkward moment had well passed and everyone had fresh drinks thanks to Crystal and the other one.

"Right now, nothing," I admitted, peering at Fancy Pants from over my glasses.

"Well, I have a query," Billy continued, as the others droned on about more scintillating topics, "Do you mind putting up your legs somewhere else other than this chair? I would like to _sit_."

"Wait till someone else gets up then steal theirs," I said simply, wishing he'd just buzz off.

Incidentally, just then, an unmistakable trilling noise of a cell phone rang out, and sure enough, Summer quickly got up and left to take the call.

"Go." I implored, hoping I didn't come out sounding kind.

"That's impolite, _Wilfred Jones_. As is this," Billy jabbed my knee with his forcefully.

"I'm not moving. Get rid of some of your shit and sit on one of the other chairs, dammit." What was his fucking problem?

Why me?

Why now.

WHY WILFRED.

"Get your legs off _this_ chair, or I'll sit on your lap."

I shot up into a sitting position as though I'd been shot. I cursed under my breath as I turned away from him.

"I'm taking a walk," I announced to no one, shooting a glare at Billy who primly settled himself down with one of his Harlequins books. I decided it was time to stretch my _offensive_ legs anyway.

I took a short tour to the back, where the tubs and Jacuzzis were, as Zack and I hadn't yet gone past the band table. There was at least one couple in each tub, and, by the looks of it, the youngest—in their early twenties, it seemed—were getting to know each other _very_ well.

Smirking, I turned around and navigated my way through the slightly crowded poolside, opposite my band mates, and made my way toward the stairs. I had no interest in knowing where I was going, just that I wanted to keep moving at this leisurely pace for a while. I reached the right staircase first, before I turned back to look at the group. Maybe I should get Zack and go check out the floors the girls and Billy had probably stripped bare.

But as I was about to open my mouth and yell his name across the deck, I heard something else that called my attention. I turned back around to the staircase, then realized there was a narrow passageway on the side of the structure that made up the upper deck from which Zack and I had come down. Curious, I veered from the stairs and made my way toward the passageway.

But all I saw was Summer on her Blackberry, gesturing furiously with her free hand as she looked out to sea. I was about to turn back and let her finish harassing whoever was on the phone, when I realized the girl actually did look sick. Whether is was because of seasickness or the call, I didn't know, but I guessed it was probably something in between that made her expression slightly reminiscent of Mister Blister's face when he didn't like a new brand of dog-food. I couldn't help but feel surprised as I overheard Summer's side of the conversation.

"Well, this isn't exactly an ideal time, is it?" she said angrily, her hair going wild with the wind. "What? Of _course_ I don't, what kind of…No, no, you know what? Forget it. Call me when you make a decision." She spat out the words, before jerking the phone from her ear and punching the call off. She seemed to be breathing hard from exerting herself, but I noticed that after she slipped the phone into her pocket she grabbed hold of the railing tightly, as if holding on for life.

I couldn't take it anymore. It was nauseating to watch.

"Summer?"

She whipped around to face me, startled. "Wha…Freddy, what are you doing here?"

"What do you mean what am I doing here?" I asked, slightly offended. Did I need to have a reason to be anywhere? "What are _you_ doing here? Who were you talking to?"

She hesitated, but in a flash the fight went out of her eyes and she just looked tired. "That was Ed." I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Ed Simmons was the guy from our record label who did business with our band specifically. Or rather, Summer, since she was the head of the team. But I never knew her to have such heated discussions with him before.

"What happened?" I asked finally, remembering Summer didn't understand the phrase 'spill the beans'.

Again, hesitation. "Well…nothing, really," she said, turning back to face the sea. "He got us one of the Suites on this ship for band practice."

I stared at her. "What the hell were you yelling at him for then? That's tight."

I thought she looked her eyes, but it may have been in discomfort, since the pallor of her face went even paler as the ship just took a slight dip.

"You're right," Summer said, gasping slightly, hands on the railing tight. "It is. I was just feeling…unwell," she gasped out the last word as she practically hugged the railing to her torso. She tossed a painful look at me, "Freddy, I'm sorry, but can we continue this later…"

I looked at her for a moment longer before I realized it wouldn't do to just leave her. I stepped up beside her, reaching out a hand toward the small of her back, the other on the railing. She looked at me like she was about to karate chop me but I gestured toward the waters.

"Look," I said, pointing at the far horizon, which the afternoon sun was still a bit far from embracing. "Just keep your eyes on the line, between the water and the sky…concentrate on how firm it is, how stable. Okay?"

I peered at her to see her nodding almost blankly, her mouth slightly parted. I thought she was going to faint.

"Freddy?"

"Summer?"

"Why are you touching me?" Point-blank.

I smirked. "Fear not, I'm not trying to molest you. Just helping circulation a bit." I frowned slightly as I continued, "I don't understand it, but you're slightly if not increasingly getting seasick, early in the cruise as it is."

"I know," she retorted, the edge creeping into voice. I felt her back muscles tighten up. "I told you before and you brushed me off. It happens when you're highly prone to subjective vertigo. It already started before we left dock."

"_What?_" I'd never heard of anyone getting seasick on dry dock. It was impossible, right? Heck, anything swaying someone as bulldoggish as Summer had to be impossible! But maybe it wasn't…

"Never mind," Summer said stiffly, making like she was about to move away. But I held her waist firmly and tilted her chin back to face front.

"Don't," I warned. "I told you, keep looking at the horizon. It's for your own good. Try avoiding looking at the mast and other lined structures on the ship okay?"

"How the hell am I gonna do that if we're here—"

I felt her torso jerk suddenly forward and in a flash I heard the unmistakable retching sound of sick. I held on firmer so she wouldn't feel any more imbalanced, even when she puking her guts out.

"You're not supposed to feed the fish, you know,"I said, grinning evilly behind her back.

She came back up, her one hand fidgeting for a handkerchief in her pocket.

Yes. A handkerchief.

Those things do still exist.

"That's disgusting," Summer mustered as she wiped her mouth, but obediently turned back to face the horizon. "How do you know so much about seasickness anyway?"

"Only a bit," I admitted, albeit grudgingly. "My father used to take us out on his yacht for days."

"Who got seasick?"

I paused. "My mom."

Summer didn't reply, and we both knew why. My mother was diagnosed with cancer a year ago. After a rough bout of chemo, she seemed to be on a better road, but the band knew I didn't want to talk about it much.

"Freddy?"

"What?"

"What are we going to do about this lead singer thing?"

I shook myself out of my reverie. Why was she asking me this?

"I thought your vote was for No-Name guy." I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, "And I'm still banking on Katie…"

She nodded her head silently, and I watched her profile closely as she closed her eyes wearily. "I know, Freddy. But…like Dewey said, we have to come to a unanimous decision, and…in case things don't go as planned, why don't we have one definite backup at least?"

"What do you mean?" The girl was losing me and fast.

"Well, what about Marta or Alicia?" Summer asked, looking back at me slightly to see if my expression was remotely inviting. I must have messed up, because she went on. "I mean, we know Tomika's out completely, even though she would have been the obvious choice. But it doesn't mean we have to cut out the other backups so soon right? Maybe we were too quick to judge? Look, for one of them, we can just step up the number of solo gigs they have…just for now," she said quickly.

I mulled it over in my head. It seemed like this was almost a conversation we already had, but in a way I knew it wasn't. It was true that it was going to take a while before Summer and I could come to agree, but maybe she was right.

"A temporary permanent," I said slowly, thinking fast, "Maybe. Who'd you have in mind specifically?"

"Alicia," Summer replied, surprisingly quickly. She looked back at me, the color in her face returning slightly. "Only because I don't really know how experienced Marta is in comparison."

I couldn't help but smirk. "Well, I donno about Alicia, she's Gordon's lay, but Marta…"

Summer thwapped me on the arm with the back of her hand.

"Ow!" I laughed, "What was that for?"

"Jackass," I heard her swear under her breath, shaking her head slowly.

"Okay, okay, fine," I amended, not wanting her to puke all over me next. "You talk to Alicia about it, we'll see what happens."

"Aren't you forgetting something? Or rather…someone?"

I looked at her, innocent.

"Gordon!" she practically hissed, gesturing with her eyes back toward the other side. "You need to talk to him, talk him into it. You know how high maintenance he gets when she merely sings her parts…"

"Me?!" I stared at her, slack-jawed. "Are you nuts? I _hate_ confronting people!"

"Oh, suck it up like a man, Jones," she snapped. Before I could retort, the expression on her face mutated from indignant to weary, then to pained as she swiveled back to the sea.

"Okay, okay," I mumbled furiously, trying to shut my ears against the retching. "Only 'cuz you're in such a pathetic state."

A few seconds later she was facing me weakly, but her dark eyes burned with determination. "Freddy, I'm serious, you have to talk to him. I know she'll love it, but if I just put her upstage, he'll have my head…"

"So mine's the daily offering then?" I said sarcastically. I stepped to stand side by side with her, leaning forward to rest my arms on the railing. "Fine I will. Alicia won't do it without the little nerd's okay anyway."

"Don't call him that," Summer replied weakly, "and yes I know, that's why I'm going to talk to her too. Maybe she can talk to him about it."

I nodded silently. We stayed like that for a couple more minutes, silently.

"Hey, I'm feeling better," she said suddenly, turning to smile at me, her expression stunned. "Your method was right. Even after the puking…"

I grimaced. "Yeah, why don't you hold that thought, Tink. Oh, and drink tons of fluids. You're gonna feel dehydrated in no time."

"Kay, Doctor," she said, rolling her eyes. But she turned around, and I saw her complexion look much better than before. It was weird, _me_ helping her. Actually, me helping anyone. But I was surprised at how little I felt like killing myself for doing it after all.

"I"ll go get Gordie," I said, giving her a lazy salute before swiveling back around to get out of the hallway. "And talk to Alicia fast. I don't want him thinking this was my idea."

"Freddy?"

"Summer?"

"Thanks."

I slowed down a bit, the sudden sincerity in her voice strange to my ears. "Okay," I said, finally. Lamely. Hey, I'm not used to nice, okay?

Luckily, I didn't have to think about it too much, because Gordon was in the same place I left him and the band. Except for the subject herself.

"Where's Alicia?" I asked aloud, waving away the extra chair Katie was nudging toward me.

"She's gone to take a nap," VeeVee answered, looking up from a newspaper Bridges game. "She didn't look too good."

I groaned. "Don't tell me she's seasick too."

"Looks like it," Marco said, grinning sheepishly, "Or maybe she and Summer are just drained out from the road trip?"

"Could be, true," Zack agreed, looking up at me as he nodded.

"Yeah," I said, distractedly. I wondered if Summer was still going to talk to Alicia in both their conditions. _Ah, fuck, go for it_, said a voice in my head. _She'll kill you if you don't anyway._

"Hey, Gordon," I called out, waiting until he looked up from his laptop. "I wanna show you something, I think you'll be interested."

Looking perplexed, he obliged, setting his laptop aside gingerly on his seat. "What's up, Spazz?" he said once we'd started walking some distance away from the pack.

I decided to take this on the stairs. Not too far from the group to make them suspicious, and close enough I could keep a lookout.

"Sit," I ordered, offering him the higher step. I turned to face him, leaning against the tall suspension pillar. "I have a proposition for you."

"What's going on?" Gordon replied, suspicion and utter confusion in his tone. He pushed his glasses up, as if doing so would help translate what I was about to say.

"Do you love Alicia?"

Hey, better to wrap this up quick right?

"What?"

"Answer first."

"I--," Gordon looked like he was about to revert to his stammer, "I—I—I guess. Yes, of course I do. We've been together for—"

"Too long, I know,"I said sympathetically, "And how far would you go to make the woman you love happy?"

"I—Freddy, what the hell is going on? Why are you—"

"Gordon, I'm only trying to help. Now answer the question, please."

What was so hard about this? The guy was supposed to be a genius.

"Very far, then," Gordon stammered out finally, with a burst of conviction in his voice that impressed even me. "I'd do practically anything, I guess. But I still don't see why—"

"And what do you think would make the woman you love happy?"

He paused there, the look in his eyes clearly indicating that inside, Gordon was manically pondering all the ways his answers might work out to my advantage.

"I donno," he said finally, turning away. He started shuffling his feet around, his knees bopping up and down in that slightly irritating way I can't stand sometimes. It's one of the reasons I'm an adamant supporter of having only band players at rehearsals. "Alicia, happy? Us together, I think. The band. Getting the big break. Just…" he looked up, his eyes lighting with the correct answer, "…Just singing, I guess."

I smiled. Bingo. What had I been afraid of? Summer had me worried for nothing.

"Singing, eh?" This was too easy. I almost felt bad for the guy. "How about if I tell you…I could guarantee that Alicia gets the lead spot she's been wanting for…oh, ever since the band came into existence?"

Gordon gaped.

"But—but---but she's never been given the lead…"

"Exactly."

"Well—that's…fantastic!" He leapt up from his seat, turning to face me. "She's gonna be so thrilled. What—why—how—"

"Thanksgiving's later," I said simply, before adding as an afterthought, "But, you know…it's just too bad. This whole relationship thing…"

Gordon stopped bouncing around. "What do you mean? What's too bad?"

"I mean…considering how…_dedicated_ you and she are, at such a young age," I pretended to sigh deeply, reaching out a hand to clap him on the shoulder like a fine brother does, "…she'll probably decline just not to hurt the status of your relationship."

He paused, his dark eyes glittering like beetles behind those weird thick glasses.

Thank god I don't read.

"You think--," Gordon started, taking a deep swallow before he continued, "You think…Alicia would break up with me because she's afraid I won't approve of her singing lead?"

I hesitated. It wasn't exactly the way I would have put it but hey, if it got the job done…

"Yeah." I said finally, figuring he was a smart guy. No need to sugarcoat anything. "So…I was thinking, maybe it would be better if you just went ahead and got a head start…"

"You mean surprise her?"

"Yeah!" I loved this guy! Piece o' cake. "That way she'll still have the singing gig going on, and avoid unnecessary pleasantries, and you could just go ahead and—"

"Ask her to marry me."

"Totally, dude, and then afterward you and she can still be…"

Wait.

What?

_Oh fuck_.

**

* * *

Summer's P.O.V.**

I was surprised to find Alicia in her room. I was just heading back to my and Katie's room, just to freshen up so I didn't totally freak Alicia out when I proposed the idea to her. But then when I was passing through the hallway of our floor, I thought I heard crying.

Sure enough, I saw one of the rooms slightly ajar, as if whoever had gone in had forgotten to completely nudge it shut. Gently I nudged it back in, knocking on the door as I did so.

"Gordie? Is that you, honey?"

I cringed.

Just a reminder that I had sent Freddy—of all people—for the other half of this task. You knew you were grabbing at straws when you had to ask _him_ for anything.

"No, it's me, Summer." I stepped inside, walking gingerly on the soft flooring. It briefly reminded me of the real bear rug in my grandfather's old study. Weird. "Are you okay, Alicia? I thought I heard—"

I saw her, atop her bed, lying in a face-down position, head up to face me with a tear-stained expression.

"Alicia…what's wrong?" I was alarmed as I rushed to her bed, a huge double that she obviously wasn't going to sleep in alone. I briefly noticed a closed off area beyond where I knew separate single beds were for Marco and VeeVee.

"Summer—" Alicia started, then her voice hitched. "I—I tried to act normal, for the sake of the band…all week, I tried so hard…"

I was growing increasingly bewildered. What was she going on about?

"But I just can't—go through with it—" she was full-fledged crying, "—without telling him, Summer!"

"Telling him who? Gordon? Telling him what?" I was getting somewhat scared. "Alicia, I don't—"

"Summer, I'm pregnant."

I froze.

The way she brought the words down to a whisper did absolutely nothing for me. To me, in my mind, the words reverberated like an echo, until I thought it was only increasing in volume. Everything spun out of my head. Freddy, the new pact we'd made, that damn call from Ed...

Even my suicidal feelings that had stemmed from the horrid seasickness on Day One…

"What."

"It's true," Alicia sniffled miserably, reaching for an already half-empty tissue box. "I've done the test eight times. Positive every single time." She looked up and our eyes met, horror against miserable acceptance.

"You know," I said, my voice almost cracking from shock, "Those tests…you have to take them at least a week after you miss—"

"I know," Alicia cut me off, nodding knowingly. "I guess it's been about three weeks now." She rolled her eyes exasperatedly as she rolled onto her back, her eyes searching the ceiling. "I can't believe this. I'm…nineteen years old, Summer. _Nineteen_."

"Have you told him yet?"

"Of course not. Are you crazy? He'll freak out, he'll totally freak out. You know how he is…"

"Oh yeah," I said, my heart sinking. What had I sent Freddy to?

"I don't wanna jeopardize his future, Summer," Alicia said suddenly, her voice falling to a deathly quiet. Her tone was so sincere I could hardly believe this was the same Alicia who almost beat the crap out of Freddy when he was hassling Gordon to experience a 'real' strippers' club once.

I said nothing, because I didn't know what to say.

"I know, I know," I let her go on, "Right now, it's all about the band and everything. But what about after, Summer? I know Gordon and I know he has his heart set on working with Linux. I just…I don't know what to do."

"Alicia," I started, kneeling on the floor in front of her. I reached for her hands weirdly, not really comfortable in these situations. Why did I have to choose today for my brilliant plan?! "Look. What's done is done. You have…you just have to accept the consequences I guess. I think you need to tell Gordon-"

"But-"

"But there's no reason he won't listen to reason," I said, calmer than I felt. I was amazed at how levelheaded I sounded. Everything was swimming in my mind, and, to my horror, I felt like the increasingly familiar tide rising up within me was about to make another appearance soon. "Gordon loves you, and you love him right?"

Suddenly a bit of the old Alicia appeared, as she looked at me like I had sprouted wings. "Duh. He's a freak, I know, but hey, he's _my_ freak, and I wanna keep him."

"Then who's to say this won't be the best thing you could ever tell him?"

Her eyes actually lighted up. It was almost heartwarming to see, I'll admit.

"Really? You sure?"

_God no. _

"Of course," I said through tight lips, slowly retracting my hands from hers. I was only going to get myself deeper into things.

"Okay," Alicia said, sitting up with lightning speed. She looked a changed woman, her eyes alight. "I'll go talk to Gordie right now."

I looked up with alarm. "What—you're gonna tell him NOW?"

"_Duh._" Again, the 'doofus' look often reserved for me. "If not now, when? I ain't getting any younger myself, you know, Summer."

"Uhh—"

"What?"

"I don't…I mean, I think you should wait." My mind was finally kicking in gear. "Really, why startle the poor boy's heart in a jiffy, huh?"

Alicia chuckled. Yes, she chuckled at my feeble attempts. "Oh, Summer," she said, practically wiping away tears of mirth. "You really cheered me up. Who would have known you could actually do that?"

I felt like I'd been punched.

"What?" I asked, stunned into near-silence.

Alicia stopped laughing, as though she just realized what she just said. "Oh, no, Summer, I didn't mean…"

"It's fine," I said quickly, hating the stickiness of the whole issue. "Just…I'm just saying you shouldn't launch this on Gordon on the first day of the trip you know? Give him some…space…"

She didn't say anything, just looked at me with a different look in her eyes. A contemplative, speculative look that alarmed me more than the doofus one. I'd started to get quite fond of that.

"Okay, Sum," she said finally, letting out a small whoosh of air. "I'll give it a shot. You're right, why raise the poor boy's blood pressure right?"

I nodded, trying to smile, but it didn't quite reach anything. I found the best—and only—thing I could do now was to leave her before I unwittingly changed her mind again. She said, with a smile, that she'd see me in the evening after 'she really does take a nap'.

Hurried, I left the room and shut the door behind me as soon as possible. Too soon, apparently, because, (forgetting that I am occasionally klutzy), I shut the door on my own fingers before I knew it. A throbbing pain erupted from my hand to my already clustered mind, but I forced myself to hold it till I heard the satisfying sound of the door closing shut.

"_Shiiiiit_," I swore luxuriously, taking my fingers in the palm of my other hand tightly. It wasn't anything serious, but it sure hurt for the moment.

"Why you wanna do something like that to yourself?"

I swiveled around fast, knocking my elbow on the door frame, thereby knocking myself out of balance. Before I knew it, I was falling forward, and I swear I thought I saw the ground loom up before me. But equally rapid were the arms and chest of whoever had spoken, into which I soon found myself wrapped.

Hunter chuckled, his chest—fairly comfortable, by the way—heaving up and down in time with his laughter. "Not so graceful aboard, are we?"

"Thanks," I mumbled, embarrassed, but mostly feeling like I wanted to jump off the ship. I was that fed up with this sea-sickness. "What are you doing here?"

"I was wondering where you disappeared off to," Hunter said, looking down at me and grinning.

I became aware of the position we were in and I quickly-regretfully-stepped away from him, pulling my arms toward me as though they'd misbehaved greatly. "Just…I was just about to go take a nap or something," I lied. In fact, I couldn't for the life of me remember why I had come up here in the first place. But a nap wouldn't be so bad, after all.

"Well, I'm sorry to have detained you," he said, not looking sorry at all.

"No problem, I doubt I'd be able to get any sleep anyway," I said truthfully, looking back wistfully at my room. I laughed humorlessly, "Well, at least the guys'll be happy, I don't think the meeting's gonna happen anytime today…"

"That's too bad," Hunter said, all too happily. He must have caught my glare, because he quickly added, "Of course, we should meet up anyway. The band, I mean. We're thinking barbeque. Did you know you could do that at the pool deck? So, seven, okay?"

My glare turned into a stare. "What?" Seriously, people had to stop launching these things on me. Or give me a head start at least.

"We should meet up," he said slowly, his wolfish grin almost too much to take in right now. I looked up at him, noticing how the light fixtures cast him in almost an angelic glow. But the sharp glare that his eyebrow piercing made brought me back to now. "I figure you could use a break before the big break."

"Why?"

"Because," he said, stepping close, "I feel like we should all get to know each other a little better. What kind of band mate would I be if I didn't thoroughly appreciate everyone's efforts?" He looked into my eyes as he spoke, as if wanting to drill his words into my brain. "And I mean, everyone's."

I looked at him. I wanted to lash out a warning, that he was on the edge of overstepping some kind of line or something. But something else inside my flooded mind was drowning, and I had a pretty good idea it was my sanity. Whatever he was saying, was making perfect sense to me.

I had to admit it, I was getting a little anxious about my role in the band. If anything, the conversation with Ed completely put me off for the whole day. But I would rather have choked on seaweed than have to admit to the band what had happened during the conversation.

And here Hunter was, horrifically new as he was, so willing to fit in, so willing to talk to me without making me feel like I was the paperwork girl. I didn't know what was Dewey's deal, making me work with Freddy at a crucial time like this. Not to mention everything with Alicia…

_Oh lord_, I thought, in true Alicia fashion.

"I'll meet you at the pool later," I said finally, shrugging as I turned around. "I need to go over the song lists with you anyway."

"Don't you dare bring any of that today," I heard him say behind me, laughter in his voice. "You need to really loosen up, Summer. What's the band been overworking you with anyway?"

I didn't smile back, but just gave a wave. I didn't feel a smile—no matter how convincing—could make him understand just how true all his words were, to me.

At seven o'clock sharp, I started down the stairs, only slightly aware of how packed the pool deck was. More than the afternoon, but I saw the band before they saw me. I cut through the crowd toward them, a little light-headed, true, (I threw up twice more during the afternoon). But as I made my way toward the others, I felt more and more conscious of what I was wearing. I don't know why I had to wear this particular bikini, it was driving me nuts. For some obscure reason, Billy had convinced me that the inner velvet lining would be heaven. And it was, except only when it rubbed against my skin one direction. The other way, and it was agonizing.

Still, I refused to bring the music folder up to my chest protectively, as I would normally have done when wearing such skimpy clothing. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm ashamed of my body or anything. I have an okay one, although I really should start toning it up, like Billy is always encouraging. But otherwise, it's just that I don't particularly relish the idea of being watched.

Who knew what people thought.

"Summer!" Billy called from the table, "You look great! Come on over quick, they're about to start the barbecue…"

"What's with the music?" Marta was asking aloud, looking skyward as if it was coming from there. She didn't like rap one iota, and for some bizarre reason 2Pac was the tune of the moment.

"Hey, hey, don't hate," Gordon teased, reminding me of how Leonard had totally gotten him into the rap scene shortly before he'd left the band.

"Where's Alicia?" I asked, suddenly realizing she was missing. Along with Hunter.

"She's coming," VeeVee said, wearing a one-piece that had a hand-made primary-colored depiction of Michael Jackson. "She just went to the restroom. I don't know where Hunter is."

"What's the hold up?" Someone yelled from behind the table, and I looked beyond to catch a glimpse of Freddy, Zack and Andy furiously working three to four massive grills. Each had their own grill, and they were working back to back like a big triangle, with the grills connected to each other at the corners. It was Freddy who'd yelled, and I saw him gesturing wildly toward us to come and get it.

I was surprised. I didn't know they let individual passengers do their own barbecue.

I had a feeling our boss Ed had something to do with that too. The man was almost limitless in resources.

I made my way toward them, having left the folder under my chair. I figured the guys could use a hand.

"Need help?" I asked loudly, but only Andy heard. They were wearing ridiculous white chef caps, the big poofy kind. This had to be some kind of gimmick or something; I almost looked wildly around for those elusive photographers. But I held my peace.

"Thanks, but I think we've got it," Andy said, grinning like a little kid. "But Zack looks like he's got more of a problem with the hat…"

I laughed once he turned around. Zack's hat was practically covering half his face.

"You look absolutely ridiculous," I announced once I got his attention.

"Thanks," he said, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw me. "Wow, you look great, Sum. Don't tell me you went shopping too…"

I rolled my eyes, "No way, Zack. You know me better than that. I did all my shopping this weekend." I gestured toward Freddy, who was working on the grill next to him, but I could only see his back. Unlike the other two, I noticed his cap was off and on the ground at his feet. "Hey, can you call him for me? I just wanna talk to him for a second…"

Zack nodded, then turned and thwacked Freddy on the arm with one of the spatulas he was holding.

"Fuccck!" Freddy yelled like damnation, and I cringed, looking around for people who'd been startled. Luckily 2Pac seemed to have the passenger's serenity covered, because no one turned around with a chastising look.

"Freddy, c'mere," I said, waving so he could see where I was.

"What the-" Freddy gave a look at Zack, before turning around to see me.

And he froze.

"Wha-Summer?!" He was squinting his eyes, as though seeing me in beachwear was something akin to a mirage.

"Yes, tis I," I announced magnanimously. "Why the hell are you so shocked? I eat BBQ too, you know."

The look on his face was priceless. The perfect combination between shock, disbelief, and (I think) horror.

"Freddy," I hissed loudly, "Get over here! Hey, Marco, can you get that for Freddy for just a while? I just wanna speak to him for a minute…"

Freddy wordlessly handed Marco the tools, and stepped out of the odd triangular cooking area. As he came nearer, his eyes swept over me, as if having to verify again with his eyes that this was really me.

"You know," I said, smirking, "For a guy who gets around, you sure are surprised to see me like this."

"Now I've seen it all," he said in a pretend slur, evidently coming out of his coma. "What's the occasion? Finally getting laid then, are we?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Shut up, dorkus. What's wrong with you?"

He grinned sheepishly, but still maintained a trace of the evil that he is in his eyes. "Nothing at all. But I must say," he said, stepping back and pretending to examine me through camera frames, "I must say that you clean up nicely, Summer Hathaway…"

Shaking my head at his ridiculousness, I motioned for him to get back in chat position. "I came here to talk to you about what we discussed earlier."

Immediately his hands fell to his sides, and there was a slight alarm that went in his eyes. I know the signs well.

"Oh," he said, calmly. Too calmly. "That…right…"

I narrowed my eyes, "Freddy, you talked to him right?" I wasn't really mad if he hadn't. In fact, all things considered I hadn't even gotten to tell Alicia anything, what with the bomb she dropped on me. "Did you or didn't you?"

"I did," he said defensively, folding his arms across his chest, "I totally did. It's just that…well, Gordie…he's a funny little guy, see…"

"Whatever," I said quickly, half-relieved he was bound to tell me bad news. "Look, about Alicia, I didn't actually get to tell her anything…"

"What?" he dropped the act real quick, his eyes growing wide with surprise, then amusement, then gloating. "Wait, so _you_ didn't hold up your part of the deal?"

"Not yet," I said, stressing on the latter word. "But there's a good reason why…"

"I doubt it," he said, rolling his eyes but paying attention.

I took a deep breath, looking around slightly to make sure all who mattered were well out of earshot. "Listen," I said, turning back to Freddy, who had taken a step forward. I noticed a sudden wave of chlorine-scent wash over me, and I realized he must have already gone for a swim. That would explain the almost wax-like iridescence of the skin on his chest, and neck, and…

"Summer."

"What?"

"You're staring at my chest in a very alarming, albeit flattering, way and I'm starting to feel violated..."

"Argh," I said, shaking my head furiously, "It's the nausea. It's sending me confused signals. Anyway, so yeah, I walked in on Alicia crying, and it turns out she's almost a month pregnant." I looked up, the magnitude of what I'd just said hitting us both. "Freddy, she's pregnant."

"No fucking way," he said, all amusement gone from his eyes. "You're kidding me."

"I wish I was," I admitted, looking back at our happy bandmates, having no clue what was happening. And where the hell as Alicia?

"Is she…is going to keep it?"

I snapped to attention. "What?! Of course she is, you twit, what else would she do?"

"Okay, okay," he said in a grumbling manner, "I was just asking, you never know with girls…"

I looked at him suspiciously, but let it go. "Okay, so just tell me what Gordie said, how he took the news, and we can figure out whether we.."

I trailed off as a huge eruption of whoops and yells burst around us. Confused, Freddy and I looked around to where the band was, for it was they who'd been making the noises. But they were looking up toward the raised deck, above the staircases.

"Is that…Alicia?" I asked slowly, squinting to see better. "And…GORDON?"

A feeling of horror swept over me as I watched an all too-familiar scene before me. And familiar only because it was a scene you always saw clichéd and fluffed up on television. But here, now, and all things considered, the harsh reality of it was making me dizzy all over again with a vengeance.

"Freddy," I snapped, my eyes glued to the couple above, "Why is Gordon on his knee in front of Alicia? What is--IS THAT A RING?! Freddy? FREDDY!"

He was standing beside me, looking up with the same look of horror I knew I possessed. "The moron," he mouthed, reaching a hand unconsciously to run it through his slicked blonde hair.

"This is so romantic!" I heard Billy practically wail with hysteria.

"Oh my god," Marta and Tomika were echoing each other over and over.

"Summer—I forgot to mention…I think Gordon took my advice the wrong way…"

I nearly chortled with laughter, but I feared my blood pressure would go berserk. "Advice. YOU gave him advice? No WONDER I'm seeing what I'm seeing…"

We looked at each other at the same time, probably mirroring the same look of hesitation but acceptance.

"Starboard," he said firmly.

"Portside," I said at the same time, and before I knew it, we were running. I ran as though my life depended on it. I ran straight for the winding staircase on the left side of the ship. From the corner of my eye I saw Freddy leap to the third step, taking them three at a time.

My heart raced, my pulse was going mad, but the nausea had left me completely. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, and I found myself reaching the top before I knew it, in time to see Freddy land on the upper deck exactly the same time. Our eyes met for a millisecond, determination thrumming between us. He ran toward Gordon, just as I lunged forward to get Alicia.

But it was too late.

Because Gordon had gotten her. He always had.

And, as if in slow motion, only one thing occurred in my mind then when I saw them like that, Alicia wrapped in Gordon's arms, their heads bent together in complete harmony, exhibiting just exactly why they were the first engaged couple from our Horace Green crew.

And that was that, for the first time as long as I could remember, I had failed in my duty as band manager. Equally surprising was how, when I saw them like that, making a promise you should only make once in your life…

Me failing?

I didn't feel sorry at all.

_**

* * *

**__Hey everyone! SO SORRY for the long wait, but I was slaving away through Finals, and now I'm finally free :D So a lot more in this chapter, any glaring loose ends will be cleared up later on, promise. Thanks everyone who's reviewed and who's reading this, you're a star! I pushed some relationships off to the side for now just so I could bring forth a couple or so in particular, (ahem Gordon and Alicia!!), but I'll get back to everyone in upcoming chaps! Stay tuned…and reviews are kinda nice. :D _

_**Thanks: **_

_**Chaotic Control: **__Thanks so much! How wonderful to hear you say that. I love writing this story, even though I'm working simultaneously on other writing projects too. Yes, the ex-bf will be explained, but not in this chap :D Thanks again! _

_**Samurai Angel**__: Haha, thanks very much for reviewing. I put a little more Frummer action here, planting the seed to hopefully lead to fruition. Haha. I'm trying to cut down on arguments between them he he. _

_**Endymion015**__: It makes me sad to see your name, cuz I know you said you're about to wrap up your story, I so so adore it. Anyway best of luck with it! Thanks for reading this. Yes, I was aiming on getting the plot going more from this chap. Hope it wasn't too confusing. _

_**Jackaay**__: Dude, I was SO tempted to make Freddy seem like this hunky guy with "nice arms" that you rave about so much, but I kept imaging him like a boxer. Haha. WEIRD! _

_**Vmggan**__: Thank you thank you. Summer not so well this time! Haha. _

_**Sarah**__: Thank you! True, What U Least Expect is awesome, I'm a big fan too! _

_**Ko0kiesNcream**__: Yes, Freddy and Katie are like that. With Zack, anything goes for now :D And yes, the pup definitely has a purpose, smiles maliciously. _

_**Talon05**__: The best Queen song is…a lot of them, I can't possibly decide :D Freddy DOES have a secret talent! But not for early chapters. You'll have to stay tuned!! Yes! Haha. _

_**LivingStoneLily**__: I hope you haven't completely forgotten this story, although I wouldn't be surprised. Sorry it took so long! Ha ha Mister Blister does have a purpose don't worry! Thanks for reviewing!_


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